The Hank Aaron Award is introduced every year to the very best total offensive participant in every league. The distinction was established in 1999 to mark the twenty fifth anniversary of Hank Aaron breaking Babe Ruth’s all-time profession residence run document. The winners are decided by a mixture of votes from a panel of Corridor of Famers and a fan vote.
Right here’s a breakdown of 9 2023 Hank Aaron Award nominees from every league:
Yordan Alvarez, Astros
After ending third in AL MVP Award voting final 12 months, the one purpose Alvarez will seemingly end under that on this 12 months’s MVP balloting is as a result of he misplaced almost two months as a result of a proper indirect harm. He nonetheless put up huge numbers, although, hitting .293/.407/.583 with 31 homers and 97 RBIs to assist gasoline Houston to a different AL West title.
Yandy Díaz, Rays
For the second straight season, Díaz put up profession numbers on the plate, turning into the primary Rays participant to win a batting title along with his AL-leading .330 common. He additionally took his offensive efficiency to a different degree within the energy division in 2023, slugging .522 with a career-high 35 doubles and 22 homers to assist Tampa Bay attain the postseason for the fifth consecutive 12 months.
Adolis García, Rangers
A key, if comparatively unheralded, member of a strong Rangers lineup this season, García put collectively a profession 12 months on the plate, setting private bests in runs scored (108), homers (39), RBIs (107), walks (65), on-base share (.328) and slugging share (.508). He led a powerhouse Texas offense in homers and RBIs, incomes his second profession All-Star choice within the course of.
Aaron Choose, Yankees
It’s not straightforward to observe Choose’s record-setting 2022 marketing campaign — when he set a brand new AL commonplace with 62 residence runs — even for Choose himself. However the 2022 AL MVP and Hank Aaron Award winner may very properly have put up comparable numbers had it not been for a proper massive toe harm that sidelined him for almost two months. The famous person slugger nonetheless smashed 37 homers and posted a 1.019 OPS for a Yankees membership ravaged by harm and underperformance in 2023.
Shohei Ohtani, Angels
Regardless of lacking the ultimate 4 weeks of the season as a result of an indirect harm and proper elbow surgical procedure, Ohtani had his most interesting offensive marketing campaign in an already sensational two-way profession. He led the Majors in slugging share (.654), OPS (1.066) and OPS+ (184), whereas additionally main the AL in residence runs (44), on-base share (.412) and complete bases (325). He did all of that whereas posting a 3.14 ERA and a 31.5 p.c strikeout charge over 23 begins on the mound.
Julio Rodríguez, Mariners
J-Rod bought off to a sluggish begin this season, however he had a resurgent second half to turn into the first participant in AL/NL historical past to start his profession with back-to-back seasons of at the least 25 homers and 25 steals. The 2022 AL Rookie of the 12 months joined the 30-30 membership by launching 32 homers and swiping 37 luggage in ‘23. He had an August for the ages, posting a 1.198 OPS and breaking the AL/NL document for hits in a four-game span, producing 17 from Aug. 16-19.
Corey Seager, Rangers
Seager loved the most efficient offensive marketing campaign of his profession, hitting .327 — 82 factors larger than in 2022 — whereas slugging .623, main the AL with 42 doubles and equaling his residence run complete from the earlier 12 months (33) in 32 fewer video games. His 96 RBIs this season are 13 greater than his complete from ’22. Regardless of being sidelined with left hamstring and proper thumb accidents, he led a prodigious Texas offense in batting common, on-base share and slugging. He additionally completed second solely to Ohtani within the Majors with a 170 OPS+.
Marcus Semien, Rangers
Semien led the AL with 185 hits and 122 runs scored, and his 100 RBIs tied the AL document for runs pushed in from the leadoff spot within the batting order. The 33-year-old second baseman additionally belted 29 residence runs with an .826 OPS in his second All-Star season, serving to anchor the Rangers’ lineup when key contributors like Seager and Josh Jung have been harm.
Kyle Tucker, Astros
With one other excellent season on the plate, Tucker has cemented his place among the many sport’s elite hitters. His 112 RBIs led the AL, and he belted 29 homers whereas setting profession highs in walks (80), on-base share (.369) and steals (30). He was named an All-Star for the second consecutive season, and by main the league in RBIs, he joined Lance Berkman (2002) and Jeff Bagwell (1994) as the one gamers in franchise historical past to take action.
Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves
Acuña had an unprecedented season in AL/NL historical past, turning into the primary participant to hit 40 or extra residence runs (41) whereas stealing 70 or extra bases (73). Not because the Reds’ Eric Davis in 1987 (37 homers, 50 steals) had we seen such a power-speed mixture in a single season, and Acuña created a category of his personal. He additionally led the Majors with 217 hits, 149 runs scored, a .416 on-base share and 383 complete bases. He was probably the most dynamic offensive menace on one of many best offensive groups in MLB historical past.
Luis Arraez, Marlins
Arraez might not have completed near a .400 batting common, however he bought us serious about that determine once more with a throwback type of hitting that helped gasoline the Marlins into the postseason. He completed with an MLB-leading .354 common and a career-high .862 OPS, eclipsing 200 hits for the primary time and turning into the second participant within the Fashionable Period (since 1900) to win the batting title in each leagues — he joined DJ LeMahieu, who did so with the Rockies in 2016 and the Yankees in ’20.
Cody Bellinger, Cubs
We thought we might have seen the very best of Bellinger after watching his decline on the plate from 2020-22. However he loved a renaissance in his first season with the Cubs, smashing 26 homers and driving in 97 runs for Chicago whereas slashing .307/.356/.525. He additionally stole a career-high 20 bases. It was his greatest season since he gained the 2019 NL MVP Award with the Dodgers, and it reignited hopes that Bellinger might but have extra productive seasons on the plate forward.
Mookie Betts, Dodgers
Already one of many premier gamers within the sport, each offensively and defensively, Betts had an unbelievable second half to vault himself into the NL MVP dialog with Acuña. Betts had his greatest offensive marketing campaign since he was named AL MVP whereas with the Purple Sox in 2018, posting a .307/.408/.579 slash line to associate with a career-high 39 homers, 107 RBIs and 126 runs scored.
Corbin Carroll, D-backs
Whereas he cooled off considerably after the All-Star break, Carroll’s title was floated as not solely an NL Rookie of the 12 months Award frontrunner, but additionally a doable MVP candidate because of a sensational first half. He ended up turning into the first rookie in MLB historical past with at the least 25 homers and 50 steals in a single season. He additionally produced an .868 OPS with a league-best 10 triples to assist Arizona attain the postseason for the primary time in six seasons.
Freddie Freeman, Dodgers
One of the vital well-rounded hitters in baseball, Freeman had an historic season of his personal. He turned the primary participant in AL/NL historical past to have at the least 57 doubles (59) and 20 steals (23) in the identical season. He hit .331/.410/.567 — attaining a slash line of .300/.400/.500 or higher for the fourth time in 5 seasons — with 29 homers, 102 RBIs and 131 runs scored. Together with Betts, the 2 shaped a devastating duo for opposing pitchers, main a strong Dodgers lineup to a different NL West title regardless of accidents to a number of key pitchers.
Bryce Harper, Phillies
For the second consecutive 12 months, Harper’s season was abbreviated by harm. He didn’t make his season debut for the Phillies till Could 2, and he did in order a primary baseman due to offseason Tommy John surgical procedure — although his return was remarkably swift for such a process, simply 160 days. He nonetheless turned in a efficiency befitting his stature as one in every of baseball’s elite hitters, ending with a .900 OPS, 21 homers, 72 RBIs and 84 runs scored for the defending NL champions.
Matt Olson, Braves
Already established as one of the feared sluggers within the Majors, Olson reached one other echelon along with his prodigious 2023 marketing campaign. The Braves’ first baseman launched a franchise-record and MLB-leading 54 residence runs, drove in an MLB-best 139 runs, scored 127 and had a .993 OPS to anchor the sport’s most prolific lineup. He additionally led the NL with a .604 slugging share, incomes his second profession All-Star choice.
Juan Soto, Padres
He had a “subpar” 2022 season by his lofty requirements, however Soto bounced again with a extra Soto-like efficiency this 12 months. He typically led MLB with 132 walks whereas belting a career-best 35 residence runs and driving in 109. He lifted his batting common by 39 factors, to .275, and posted a .929 OPS. In a deeply disappointing season for the Padres, who had excessive expectations coming in, Soto’s resurgence was an vital constructive.