Garver and Cruz win Silver Slugger Award

Last night, Major League Baseball announced the winners of the Silver Slugger Award for each position in each league. The winners are voted on by coaches and managers in MLB. This year, and for the first time since 2013, there are Minnesota Twins taking home this award.

Mitch Garver won the award among catchers in the American League. Garver really arrived on the scene this year, turning in a .273/.365/.630 (.995) slash line and belting 31 bombas and notching 67 RBI. He’s pretty much cemented his place behind the plate as Minnesota’s primary catch for years to come as an offensive catcher. Joe Mauer was the last Twins player and Twins catcher to win this award when he earned it back in 2013. One of Garver’s memorable home runs is the bomba that broke the MLB all-time team season record:

Designated hitter Nelson Cruz was the second Twins player to win the award this season. This is the third time he’s won the award in his career, adding to his Silver Slugger Awards in 2015 as an American League outfielder and his first of the same award in 2017 as a DH. I think it’s pretty clear that Boomstick has added a lot to this team in many ways, and this is only adds to it. He batted .311/.392/.639 (1.031) on the year, smashing 41 bombas and tallying 108 RBI. The last time that two players from the Twins have won the Silver Slugger Award was in 2008 when the M&M Boys - Mauer and Justin Morneau - won the award for the American League catcher and first baseman spots. Cruz reached the 400 career homers plateau this season.

Congratulations to both Garver and Cruz for this well-deserved award!