Players, including Blue Jays, who deserve Silver Slugger recognition but won't win it

The Silver Slugger awards will be announced next week, and FanSided (the parent company of Jays Journal) will be involved. Fansided has partnered with Louisville Slugger to annouce the awards on The Baseball Insiders Podcast and YouTube show. 

With that, it's fitting to review some players who deserve recognition for the 2025 Silver Slugger awards, but will be narrowly beaten by other players.

Players, including Blue Jays, who deserve Silver Slugger recognition but won't win it

Kyle Schwarber

Kyle Schwarber, the designiated hitter for the Phillidephia Phillies, is one of the most powerful home run hitters that the league has to offer. Unfortunately for him, there is a practically zero percent chance that he brings home the Silver Slugger, considering he's matched up against one of the greatest players of all time, who's fresh off of a three homer preformance while striking out 10, Shohei Ohtani.

Schwarber has never been one to hit for average, hitting just .240 this year but he can mash the ball with the best of them. He hit 56 homers this year, which is one more than Ohtani's 55.

Although Schwarber merely edged out Ohtani in the home run category this year, Ohtani's overall offensive numbers were more impressive, giving him the advantage. While Schwarber slashed .240/.365/.563 with an OPS of .928, Ohtani slashed for 282/.392/.622 with an OPS of 1.014.

It almost feels like déjà vu, reminiscent of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. losing the 2021 MVP race to Ohtani even though Vladdy put up a monster offensive season of his own. Despite the eventual outcome, Schwarber’s raw power still make him one of the most feared hitters in baseball and a worthy Silver Slugger candidate in almost any other year.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

A pair of Toronto Blue Jays have unfortunately made the 'second place list' and the first one worth noting is their franchise player, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Considering his competition, 22-year-old Nick Kurtz put up one of the best rookie seasons in Major League history, it's no surprise that Vladdy Jr. will earn the consolation prize.

Guerrero, who had a hot and cold season and never really found his home run groove, putting up just 23 homers (his least since 2020) has carried the Toronto Blue Jays through the postseason, breaking a franchise record for most home runs in a single postseason along the way.

If the Silver Slugger award accounted for the postseason, our conversation would be different. Until then though, it's clear that Kurtz is deserving of the award.

Although Vladdy narrowly beat out Kurtz in batting average and on base percentage, he returned the favour by crushing him in home runs (36), slugging percentage (.619), and OPS (1.002). The "Big Amish" had Vladdy's number this year from the jump in terms of bringing home the Silver Slugger, but if there was a postseason version, the tables would be turned.

Bo Bichette

The second Blue Jay that may come in second, is Bo Bichette, although him and Bobby Witt. Jr are neck in neck. This one seems like a toss-up, but Witt Jr. just edges him out in a few more categories.

If it wasn't for Bichette's injuries though, this one most likely would've leaned toward him. In 2025, Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 homers, rounding out his OPS to 840. Witt Jr., on the other hand, slashed, .295/.351/.501 with 23 home runs and a .852 OPS, giving him the edge in batting average, slugging percentage, home runs, and OPS.

Bichette hit for a higher average and drove in six more RBI (94) than his Ameircan League shortstop counterpart, but it doesn't seem like that'll be enough to earn him his third Silver Slugger.

Still, Bichette’s production when healthy shows he's the most polished hitters in the league, and a strong candidate to reclaim the title next season. Bichette was on track to record the most hits this season, but Witt Jr., ended up with just three more hits than him.

Jose Altuve

Although the veteran second baseman for the Houston Astros, Jose Altuve, is on the back nine of his career, he's still putting up exceptional numbers. That being said, it will most likely not be enough to beat out Jazz Chisholm Jr. for the 2025 Silver Slugger award at second base in the American League.

Yes, Altuve had a solid season, but by his standards it was nothing special. His power at the plate, did not stager, as he hit 26 home runs, marking just the fourth time he has gone over 25 in a season. Overall on the season, he ended up slashing .265/.329/.442 with a .771 OPS.

Chisholm Jr, on the other hand, has the upper edge in nearly every category, which is why he'll most likely be the pick to bring home the award. In 2025, he hit for a .242./332/.481 and an OPS of .813, along with 31 jacks, five more than Altuve. That late-season push that Chisholm Jr. went on, might have been what ultimately separates him in the Silver Slugger race versus the 35-year-old Altuve.

Francisco Lindor

If the Arizona Diamondbacks shortstop Geraldo Perdomo in fact wins the Silver Slugger, he'd be beating out Francisco Lindor, who's looking for his fifth silver slugger award and third in three years. The matchup between Lindor and Perdomo seems tighter than the other's that were previously mentioned, solely to the fact that Lindor hit 31 home runs this year, compared to Perdomo's 20.

That being said, Perdomo edged out Lindor in batting average, on base percentage, slugging percetnage, OPS, hits, and RBI, so the advantage is in his favour.

Perdomo completely broke out for the Diamondbacks in 2025, as he put up a career best season by far. The 31-year-old Lindor, was seemingly the next best shortstop in the National League and in line to win his third Silver Slugger in a row, but with Perdomo's outstanding year, the times have changed, Lindor doesn't run the table anymore.