Career Height: Player Reaches New Heights With First Silver Sluggard Award
Coming into the year, there were high expectations placed on the shoulders of this Baltimore Orioles team.
After winning 101 games and earning the top seed in the American League, it was clear this group was ready to take the next step with so many young players on the roster looking like they could be future stars of the sport.
And while that certainly is the case, it was one of their veterans who put together a breakout season.
Anthony Santander knew he was playing under the final year of club control, and with a huge showing, he could get the monster contract he rightfully deserves after being one of the best hitting outfielders in the league for the past few seasons.
The slugger did just that.
Not only did he earn his first All-Star Game selection ahead of the Midsummer Classic, but he has now won his first-ever Silver Slugger Award.
Santander was dominant at the plate this year.
He finished with 44 home runs, third in all of Major League Baseball behind Aaron Judge (58) and Shohei Ohtani (54), the two expected AL and NL MVPs.
The star outfielder also finished with a slash line of .235/.308/.506, 77 extra-base hits and 102 RBI, the first time he had ever gone over the century mark in that category. His 134 OPS+ and 129 wRC+ were also the highest numbers he’s produced in a full campaign when excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
Santander now enters free agency, not only as one of the most sought after outfielders on the open market based on what he accomplished this past year, but as a Silver Slugger winner that puts a bow on the best season of his career.
