A’s star Rooker wins first career AL Silver Slugger award

A’s star Rooker wins first career AL Silver Slugger award originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The best hitters of the 2024 MLB campaign got their recognition Tuesday, and Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker is among them.

MLB announced the winners for the Silver Slugger awards, given to the season’s strongest batters. Rooker received his flowers after a monster 2024 MLB season, becoming the first A’s player to win the award since third baseman Eric Chavez in 2002 and the first Athletic to win it as a DH.

Rooker, 30, hit .293 with 39 home runs, 112 RBI and a .927 OPS in 145 games this season, including 131 games at DH. He was tied for fourth in RBI, sixth in slugging (.562), tied for fifth in home runs and eighth in OPS among all MLB batters in 2024. As a DH, Rooker ranked first among American League batters in home runs (34) and RBI (99) and ranked second in OPS (.911).

Rooker ranked third in the AL in RBI, tied for fourth in home runs and seventh in batting, becoming the first A’s player to be in the AL top 10 in all three Triple Crown categories since Miguel Tejada in 2002. His 34 home runs as a DH rank sixth in A’s history and his 99 RBI at the position rank fifth.

Finalists were named for all individual positions on Nov. 4. Managers of all 30 clubs and three coaches from each decided on the winners. An Offensive Team of the Year was also named.

Here’s a look at each recipient from the American League and National League:

American League

• 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (second win)

• 2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros (seventh win)

• SS: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (first win)

• 3B: Jose Ramirez, Cleveland Guardians (fifth win)

• OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (fourth win)

• OF: Juan Soto, New York Yankees (fifth win)

• OF: Anthony Santander, Baltimore Orioles (first win)

• C: Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals (fifth win)

• DH: Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics (first win)

• Utility: Josh Smith, Texas Rangers (first win)

Offensive Team of the Year: Yankees

National League

• 1B: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (fourth win)

• 2B: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks (first win)

• SS: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets (fourth win)

• 3B: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres (second win)

• OF: Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres (first win)

• OF: Jurickson Profar, San Diego Padres (first win)

• OF: Teoscar Hernandez, Los Angeles Dodgers (third win)

• C: William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers (second win)

• DH: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (third win)

• Utility: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (seventh win)

Offensive Team of the Year: Dodgers