The Houston Astros Could Break a Silver Slugger Record in 2022

The Yankees have long held the AL record for most Silver Sluggers won by a single team in a season — but the Houston Astros could challenge that in 2022.

Author:
Leo Morgenstern
Publish date:
Sep 4, 2022 1:00 PM EDT

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Houston Astros

On August 9, with a 7-5 victory over the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros matched the New York Yankees for the best record in the American League. The Yankees had held sole possession of that spot since April 27.

The Astros have held the top seed ever since, and it seems highly unlikely they will give it up before season’s end. The race for best record in the AL is all but over.

That does not mean, however, that Houston is done chasing New York. There is another record of theirs that the Astros could match this year.

The Yankees hold the American League record for most Silver Sluggers awarded to one team in a one season. In both 1985 and 2002, they took home four. No other AL team has ever won more than three.

In the National League, only the Cardinals (1980) and the Braves (2020 & 2021) have won four or more in a single year.

In 2022, Houston has a chance to win four Silver Sluggers for themselves, becoming just the second AL team to have done so and the first in 20 years. The last time an American League team accomplished this feat, the Astros didn’t even play in the AL.

Barring a disaster, Yordan Álvarez and José Altuve seem all but certain to take home Silver Sluggers. They have been far and away the best hitters at designated hitter and second base, their respective positions.

Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman also have a shot to win the award, but they’ll have to keep mashing the ball in September.

Tucker has been as strong an offensive player as any AL outfielder not named Aaron Judge, but several others at his position have been similarly valuable, including Julio Rodríguez, Anthony Santander, George Springer, and Randy Arozarena.

Bregman has less competition than Tucker, but the competition he has is going to be tough to beat. José Ramírez of the Cleveland Guardians is a perennial MVP candidate, and he’s having another terrific season. While Bregman has the better offensive numbers as of late, Ramírez got off to a much better start, and so he still has an advantage over Bregman in most statistical categories. The Astros third baseman can’t afford to slow down at all over the final month of the season if he wants to beat out Ramírez for the Silver Slugger.

Bregman could also have some competition from Rafael Devers, if the Red Sox' star rediscovers his swing in September. Devers looked like the favorite for the award early in the season, but he has had a dismal second half.

In short, Bregman has a good shot at the Silver Slugger, but he’ll have to stay hot. Even if he does, an equally hot Ramírez or Devers could steal it away.

Alex Bregman round second at Minute Maid Park
Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros are all but certain to win two Silver Sluggers. Three is a good possibility, and four is within reach.

Finally, the Astros do have a small, but not insignificant, chance of winning five Silver Sluggers this season. Because there is a possibility Yordan Álvarez wins as both a DH and an outfielder.

While that would be highly unlikely, it is not unprecedented. J.D. Ramirez of the Boston Red Sox won the award at both positions back in 2018. There is no minimum playing time required to win the Silver Slugger at any position, and the voters must have decided Ramirez’s bat was so dominant that no other outfielder was more deserving.

Álvarez has been similarly dominant this season — and he’s played more outfield than Ramirez did in 2018 — so it’s definitely not out of the question he takes home the award twice. If he does so, and Houston wins five Silver Sluggers this year, it would set a new AL record.

Only the 1980 Cardinals, back in the very first year of Silver Slugger history, accomplished that feat. And when they did it, there were significantly fewer competing teams.

It won’t be easy, but with a strong final month, Houston could tie — or even break — the AL record for most Silver Sluggers won by a single team in a single season.