In the midst of a truly tough season for the Minnesota Twins, Luis Arraez has been a consistent bright spot, time and time again. Whether it be making his first All-Star game, earning a Gold Glove nomination, or becoming the first Twin since Joe Mauer to win an American League batting title.
Now, the 25-year-old can add another accomplishment to his stellar fourth season: a Silver Slugger award:
𝐋𝐮𝐢𝐬-ville Silver Slugger 🏆 pic.twitter.com/GXiE5IW39R
— Minnesota Twins (@Twins) November 10, 2022
Luis Arraez took home the Silver Slugger for the Minnesota Twins
Arraez took home the award at the utility position after a stellar season that saw him slash .316/.375/.420, making huge steps and showing massive jumps in both his ability get on base and his power.
Arraez’s ability to continually produce and put a fully healthy season together will be massive to the team going forward, and his newfound ability to play first base in addition to his home at second is an important key as well. The Twins need players who can hit, and Arraez’s left-handed bat does that better than nearly every other player in the MLB.
While it’s unlikely that Arraez will continue to win this award year in and year out, it’s good to see the young man putting forward such an excellent effort so early on in his career. It offers definitive hope for the future.
Arraez’s win is also significant as he became the first Twins player to win a Silver Slugger award since Nelson Cruz took home the award in 2020. While a two year gap may not seem very long, it’s still good to have a Minnesota Twins player represented again. Here’s to hoping that the team won’t even have to wait two years to see the next Minnesota Silver Slugger.