Half-dozen Blue Jays earn silver slugger nominations
The Toronto Blue Jays bats were loud all year.
Turns out the team is making noise in the offseason, too.
Six members of the Blue Jays — catcher Alejandro Kirk, first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., shortstop Bo Bichette, third base Matt Chapman, and outfielders Teoscar Hernandez and George Springer — were all nominated for silver slugger awards on Thursday.
The silver slugger award recognizes the best offensive players at each position in each league, and are voted on by Major League managers and coaches.
Guerrero, Hernandez, and Marcus Semien won silver slugger awards with Toronto last season.
Guerrero led the Blue Jays with 32 home runs and 97 runs batted in while hitting .274 in 638 at bats. Chapman batted .229 with 27 home runs and 76 RBI. Hernandez — who also won a silver slugger award in 2020 and can become the first Toronto player since George Bell (1985-1987) to win three straight awards — had 25 home runs and 77 RBI with 35 doubles and a .267 batting average.
Springer also had 25 home runs and 76 RBI with a .267 average, and Bichette had 24 home runs and 93 RBI while batting a team-leading .290. Kirk, second on the team with a .285 average, had 14 home runs and 63 RBI.
Toronto was third in the American League with 200 home runs last season, and second with 775 runs scored. The Blue Jays also led the AL with 1,464 hits, and were second with 756 RBI.
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