3 Chicago Cubs nominated for Silver Slugger Award

The Chicago Cubs had an outstanding season in 2023. They were way out of the race in early July but they didn’t give up. They started to get really hot throughout the rest of July and all of August which found them right there for the National League Wild Card.

At one point, it looked like the NL Central title was even within reach. They were never going to beat out the Philadelphia Phillies for the top Wild Card spot but the second and third-place spots were totally available.

As you know, however, the Cubs fell apart in the last two series of the season. They ended up missing the playoffs entirely as a result of that but barely. That stung but they were great considering the expectations coming into the year.

Part of what made them so good was their offense. They had the ability to score lots of runs in almost every way. It was a very exciting team to watch for that reason.

The Chicago Cubs offense was very fun to watch during the 2023 season.

A few of the players that were in the middle of it all are being recognized by the league. On Thursday, it came out that three Chicago Cubs players were nominated for the Silver Slugger Award. These are the three:

1. Cody Bellinger

The Chicago Cubs made a great signing when they brought Cody Bellinger in. It was a bit of a risk because he wasn’t very good to end his Los Angeles Dodgers tenure but he bounced back in a big way.

Bellinger slashed .307/.356/.525 for an OPS of .881. He hit 26 home runs and had 97 RBIs to go with 95 runs scored. He even had 20 stolen bases. It was a great year for him and he deserves this nomination. After not trading him, the Cubs should be looking to extend him ASAP.

2. Seiya Suzuki

Seiya Suzuki had a great year with the Chicago Cubs. It wasn’t going well for him early but he certainly had a strong finish. He was a big reason that the Cubs offense really got going in the second half. He deserves this nomination.

Suzuki slashed .285/.357/.485 with an OPS of .842. He hit 20 home runs, 74 RBIs, and 75 runs scored. It was great to see Seiya hitting like this. He might even have another level to get to if he is this good for an entire season. It was a great year no matter how you look at it.

3. Dansby Swanson

Dansby Swanson was an outstanding signing for the Chicago Cubs. Like Bellinger, this year was his first with the Cubs. He was everything they needed him to be and he is being rewarded for it with a Silver Slugger nomination.

He slashed .244/.328/.416 with an OPS of .744. He hit 22 home runs with 80 RBIs and 81 runs scored. He is a player that brings it with both his bat and his glove so the Cubs are lucky to have him.

We’ll see if any of these guys are able to lock the award down when they announce the winners. It was a great year for all of them regardless of how it went in terms of winning it.