2021 Silver Sluggers: Braves win 4, Posey grabs honor in final season

Major League Baseball announced its 2021 Silver Slugger winners Thursday, honoring the best offensive players at each position.

The Atlanta Braves dominated the proceedings from a team standpoint, as they fielded four Silver Slugger winners for a second consecutive season. The Toronto Blue Jays led the way in the American League with three winners.

Here's the complete list of winners in both leagues:

American League

Catcher

Winner: Salvador Perez, Royals (4th Silver Slugger)

Perez repeated as a Silver Slugger winner by setting a new single-season home-run record for catchers. He also led the majors in RBIs. Perez is the first Royals player to win four Silver Sluggers.

Runners-up: Gary Sanchez (NYY), Mike Zunino (TB)

First base

Winner: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (1st)

Guerrero's MLB-leading 48 homers were the most for a player in his age-22 season or younger. He also led the AL in OBP, slugging, OPS, and runs scored.

Runners-up: Yuli Gurriel (HOU), Matt Olson (OAK)

Second base

Winner: Marcus Semien, Blue Jays (1st)

Semien set a new single-season record for homers by a second baseman and surpassed the 100-RBI mark for the first time.

Runners-up: Jose Altuve (HOU), DJ LeMahieu (NYY), Jorge Polanco (MIN)

Third base

Winner: Rafael Devers, Red Sox (1st)

Devers, who led his position in both homers and RBIs, is the first Red Sox third baseman to take home a Silver Slugger since Adrian Beltre in 2010.

Runners-up: Jose Ramirez (CLE), Kyle Seager (SEA)

Shortstop

Winner: Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox (4th)

Bogaerts beat out a crowded field for his fourth career Silver Slugger. Only Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Cal Ripken Jr., and Barry Larkin have won more of these awards at shortstop.

Runners-up: Tim Anderson (CWS), Bo Bichette (TOR), Carlos Correa (HOU)

Outfield

Winner: Teoscar Hernandez, Blue Jays (2nd); Aaron Judge, Yankees (2nd); Cedric Mullins, Orioles (1st)

Hernandez won his second straight Silver Slugger after leading all outfielders in RBIs while ranking third in slugging. Judge's 39 homers were tied for the most by an outfielder. Mullins broke out at the plate, authoring a 30-30 campaign with 72 extra-base hits. He also ranked fourth in the AL in hits.

Runners-up: Randy Arozarena (TB), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (TOR), Mitch Haniger (SEA), Hunter Renfroe (BOS), Kyle Tucker (HOU)

Designated Hitter

Winner: Shohei Ohtani, Angels (1st)

When he wasn't busy on the mound, Ohtani led all primary DHs in virtually every category and was the only primary DH with an OPS above .900. The 27-year-old led the majors with eight triples, ranked second in extra-base hits and OPS+, and finished third in homers.

Runners-up: Yordan Alvarez (HOU), Nelson Cruz (MIN/TB), Joey Gallo (TEX/NYY), Giancarlo Stanton (NYY)

National League

Catcher

Winner: Buster Posey, Giants (5th)

The retiring Posey ties Gary Carter and Brian McCann for the second-most Silver Sluggers among NL catchers. He led all backstops in wRC+ and WAR (4.9).

Runners-up: Omar Narvaez (MIL), J.T. Realmuto (PHI), Will Smith (LAD)

First base

Winner: Freddie Freeman, Braves (3rd)

The reigning NL MVP won his third straight Silver Slugger, tying him for second all-time at the position. Only Todd Helton, Albert Pujols, and Paul Goldschmidt have won more at first base.

Runners-up: Paul Goldschmidt (STL), Max Muncy (LAD), Joey Votto (CIN)

Second base

Winner: Ozzie Albies, Braves (2nd)

Albies surpassed hitting 40 doubles in a season for the third time in his career and ranked second in the NL in extra-base hits. He's just the fifth second baseman in MLB history to produce a 30-homer, 40-double, 100-RBI, 100-run season.

Runners-up: Jake Cronenworth (SD), Jonathan India (CIN), Justin Turner (LAD)

Third base

Winner: Austin Riley, Braves (1st)

Riley, who led NL third basemen in wRC+, is the first Brave to win a Silver Slugger at the hot corner since Hall of Famer Chipper Jones in 2000.

Runners-up: Nolan Arenado (STL), Manny Machado (SD), Patrick Wisdom (CHC)

Shortstop

Winner: Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres (2nd)

Tatis' 42 homers were the fourth-most for a shortstop since 1961.

Runners-up: Willy Adames (MIL), Brandon Crawford (SF), Trea Turner (WAS/LAD)

Outfield

Winners: Nick Castellanos, Reds (1st); Bryce Harper, Phillies (2nd); Juan Soto, Nationals (2nd)

Castellanos set career highs in virtually every category and recorded a 30-homer, 30-double season for the first time. Harper, an NL MVP finalist, led the majors in slugging, OPS, doubles, and extra-base hits. Soto earned his second straight Silver Slugger using his power while also posting a .465 on-base percentage. He was the only qualified batter in 2021 with more walks than strikeouts.

Runners-up: Adam Duvall (ATL), Tyler O'Neill (STL), Bryan Reynolds (PIT), Jesse Winker (CIN)

Pitcher

Winner: Max Fried, Braves (1st)

Fried may end up as the last pitcher to win a Silver Slugger, and he earned it with a solid (by pitchers' standards) .273/.322/.327 slash line. He was also perfect in four pinch-hit appearances and even laced a pinch-hit, walk-off single on July 4.

Runners-up: Madison Bumgarner (ARI), Jacob deGrom (NYM), German Marquez (COL)