Dodgers Earn 3 Nominations for Major Honor Despite Year-End Struggles

The Los Angeles Dodgers have garnered three nominations for the prestigious 2026 Silver Slugger award, despite facing a challenging season towards the end. Third baseman Max Muncy earned a spot as a finalist, while designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and the team collectively took their places. Ohtani's performance was marked by struggling with injuries during the second half of the season, but he still delivered solid offensive numbers, hitting 30 home runs and driving in 81 runs.

His on-base percentage (OPS) dipped below .900 for the first time since 2022, and his struggles persisted until the final two months of the season. In comparison, Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies had a stronger season with 45 homers, 97 RBIs, and a .857 OPS. Muncy's career-best season at age 35 included 29 homers, 76 RBIs, and an .837 OPS.

His competitors for the Silver Slugger award, like Alex Bregman, had similarly impressive seasons with Bregman slightly edging Muncy in home runs and runs driven in. The Dodgers' Team Silver Slugger award is bestowed upon the league's best offensive team each year. While the Dodgers have won the last two awards, their late-season struggles might have hindered their chances this year.

The Chicago Cubs, with the highest wRC+ in MLB at 114, the most runs (850), and home runs (220), posed a tough challenge to the Dodgers' offensive dominance.