With the World Series officially behind us, it's awards season in Major League Baseball.
The Boston Red Sox were fortunate to have two of their heavy-hitters named as finalists for this year's Silver Slugger Awards. Both Triston Casas (first base) and Rafael Devers (third base) are in line to take home some hardware during the offseason.
Devers won the Silver Slugger in 2021 and faces some stiff competition this year, while Casas finds himself among the best power-hitters in the game despite being just a rookie.
Red Sox 3B Rafael Devers named finalist for Silver Slugger
Rafael Devers is joined by Alex Bregman (Houston Astros), Isaac Paredes (Tampa Bay Rays), and Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians) among the finalists for the AL Silver Slugger among third baseman.
Devers took home the trophy in 2021 and Ramirez was the Silver Slugger Award-winner last year. In fact, Ramirez is a four-time winner of the award. This is the first year that Paredes is among the finalists.
Rafael Devers led all American League third basemen in slugging percentage (.500), OPS (.851) and home runs (33) this season. If the award is truly handed out to the best offensive player at his respective position, it seems as though Devers is the odds-on favorite.
Red Sox 1B Triston Casas named finalist for Silver Slugger
Triston Casas is among the Silver Slugger finalist as well, and while the rookie certainly can make the case to be among the top hitting first basemen in the American League, his path to the award is not as certain as Devers'.
Casas ranked second in OPS behind Yandy Diaz of the Tampa Bay Rays. Diaz also bested Casas in slugging percentage, and the first-year infielder had fewer round-trippers than both Spencer Torkelson and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Nathaniel Lowe, who won the award last season, is surprising among the group of finalist despite only posting 17 home runs and a .414 slugging percentage. Unless Lowe surprises and wins the award for a second year in a row, this year's Sliver Slugger Award-winner will do so for the first time.