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Atlanta Braves walk away with zero Silver Slugger Awards

By Christian Dart

Apr 8, 2022; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) reacts after being awarded the gold glove and silver slugger award for National League pitchers for 2021 prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 8, 2022; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried (54) reacts after being awarded the gold glove and silver slugger award for National League pitchers for 2021 prior to the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports /
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Five Atlanta Braves were nominated for the Silver Slugger award. None walked away with any hardware.

Among the myriad of awards the Atlanta Braves are in contention for after a fantastic 2022 season, including Rookie of the Year, Cy Young, Manager of the Year, plus the two  Gold Gloves the Braves were already awarded, a group of Braves sluggers were nominated for the Silver Slugger award. This group includes Matt Olson, Austin Riley, Dansby Swanson, Travis d’Arnaud, and rookie Michael Harris II. All five players had great hitting seasons in 2022 and were awarded as finalists accordingly.

Dansby Swanson, who compiled a WRC+ and OPS+ of 115 and 116 in 2022, earned his first Silver Slugger nomination in 2022. Swanson’s best hitting season yet came in 2022, earning him the nomination.

This was the second straight year Matt Olson was nominated for the award, though he did not win in either year. Olson posted a .802 OPS as well as had the fourth-most extra base hits in the MLB in 2022

Austin Riley, who earned a nomination in 2022, was the reigning winner of the award for NL Third Baseman. Riley hit 38 home runs and slugged for a .878 OPS in 2022, an impressive campaign for the young third baseman.

Like Riley, Travis d’Arnaud was in contention for his second Silver Slugger of his career, his first coming in the shortened 2020 season. d’Arnaud’s 119 OPS+ and 120 WRC+ helped him earn his second nomination of his career.

In his first year in the league, Michael Harris II earned a well-deserved spot as a Silver Slugger finalist. Harris’ posted an OPS and WRC+ of .853 and 135, as well as notching 49 extra-base hits through 114 games. Harris was one of three rookie nominated for the award, along with Julio Rodríguez and Adley Rutschman.

Despite having five finalists in contention for the award and being one of the strongest offenses in the MLB, no Braves walked away with the award, the first time the Atlanta Braves didn’t have a single player win a Silver Slugger since 2017.

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