Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger and designated hitter Ben Rice are finalists for American League Silver Slugger Awards after All-Star seasons. Winners will be announced Nov. 17.
Louisville Slugger announced the finalists Thursday, according to MLB.com's report. Managers and coaches vote for the best hitter at each position in each league and cannot select players from their own teams.
Bellinger, a two-time Silver Slugger winner, hit 17 home runs with a .768 OPS in 2026. Rice followed his strong 2025 season with 41 home runs and an .897 OPS, earning his first All-Star selection.
Rice faces Alvarez in designated hitter category
Rice's fellow designated hitter finalist is Houston's Yordan Alvarez, who hit a career-high 42 home runs. Alvarez led the majors in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.432), slugging percentage (.601) and walks (109).
Alvarez also reached 150 games played for the first time. The two finalists represent strong offensive seasons, with Rice finishing one home run behind the Astros slugger.
Bellinger is among nine American League outfield finalists. The others are Boston's Wilyer Abreu, Seattle's Randy Arozarena, Kansas City's Jac Caglianone, Cleveland's Chase DeLauter, Detroit's Riley Greene, Chicago's Tristan Peters, Tampa Bay's Chandler Simpson and the Angels' Mike Trout.
Six of those outfielders — Abreu, Arozarena, Caglianone, DeLauter, Peters and Simpson — would be first-time winners. Trout is seeking his 10th Silver Slugger, a total previously reached only by Mike Piazza, with 10, and Barry Bonds, with 12.
Team award finalists also announced
The Yankees are not among the American League Offensive Team of the Year finalists, which are the Astros, Rays, Twins and White Sox. New York and Minnesota finished tied with 739 runs, behind Chicago's league-leading 776.
The Silver Slugger Awards began in 1980. The utility-player category was added in 2022, followed by the offensive team award in 2023.
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