Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker were announced as NL Silver Slugger Award winners on Thursday night presented by Louisville Slugger. The award goes to the best offensive player per position in both the National and American leagues.
McCutchen won his third consecutive award after posting a slash line of .314/.410/.542 and an OPS of .952 with 25 home runs, 38 doubles, six triples and 83 RBI in 146 games this season.
McCutchen is the first Pirate to post three straight seasons batting .300/.400/.500 with 15+ stolen bases since Hall of Famer Honus Wagner did so from 1903-1905 and the first player in the Majors to do so since Barry Bonds did it between 1992-1994 with the Pirates and Giants.
Neil Walker won his first Silver Slugger of his career after posting a slash line of .271/.342/.467 and an OPS of .809 with 23 home runs, 25 doubles, three triples and 76 RBI in 137 games this season. The Pirates second basemen was on pace for his first NL All-Star appearance before an appendectomy sidelined him for a month before the break.
Walker broke the Pirates home run record for a second basemen (23) in 2014 passing the previous record of 19 set by Hall of Famer Bill Mazeroski in 1958.
McCutchen’s award season is not over as he is a finalist with Giancarlo Stanton and Clayton Kershaw for the National League MVP.
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(Photo Credit: Getty Images)
