Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Toronto Blue Jays’ powerful first baseman, was named the American League Silver Slugger for his position on Tuesday, marking his second career win of this prestigious honor.
Guerrero Jr. had an outstanding season, finishing with a .323 batting average, 30 home runs, and 103 RBIs. He led all AL first basemen in key statistics including batting average, on-base percentage (.396), slugging percentage (.544), runs scored (98), and RBIs.
Despite the Blue Jays struggling offensively throughout the year, ranking 23rd in runs scored and falling short in various major hitting categories, Guerrero Jr. remained a standout performer.
He joins a select group of Blue Jays greats, including Teoscar Hernandez, Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista, Carlos Delgado, Joe Carter, and George Bell, as the only players in team history to earn multiple Silver Slugger awards.
Though Guerrero Jr. had a breakout year in 2021, finishing second in AL MVP voting with a league-leading 48 home runs, his performance had been inconsistent in the following seasons. Now, as he approaches free agency, Guerrero Jr. has reaffirmed his status as one of the most dangerous hitters in the league.
