Bryce Harper wins third Silver Slugger Award

Bryce Harper is a three-time Silver Slugger Award winner.

Harper, who was nominated as a designated hitter, was announced as one of 10 winners in the National League for 2023.

Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto were nominees at their respective positions. Schwarber was nominated as an outfielder.

Harper qualifying to win the award is an accomplishment in and of itself. A player has to appear in 100 games in order to win the award. Harper fell a game short of qualifying to win it in 2022, despite being named one of three finalist for the award at DH in the National League.

The expectation at the beginning of last year’s offseason was that Harper would return to the Phillies as a DH by the All-Star break in 2023. He smashed that timetable and returned to the Phillies’ lineup on May 2. Less than three months later, Harper debuted at first base.

It appears he will stay there moving forward. Dave Dombrowski told reporters at the GM meetings on Wednesday that Harper will be the team’s starting first baseman moving forward. The announcement all but ended Rhys Hoskins’ seven-year tenure with the Phillies.

Overall, Harper finished 2023 with a .293/.401/.499 slash line with 21 home runs and 72 RBIs. Sixteen of his 21 home runs this season came in a 49-game span from Aug. 5 to Sept. 30.

Harper won the award in 2015 with the Nationals and 2021 with the Phillies. It’s the first time Harper has won a Silver Slugger Award in a non-MVP campaign.

Established in 1980, the Silver Slugger Award is handed out annually to the best offensive player in each league by position. Harper joins Realmuto, Chase Utley, Manny Trillo and Mike Schmidt as the only Phillies to win multiple Silver Slugger Awards as a member of the team.

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