ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - The St. Louis Cardinals will now forget their dismal 2023 and look forward to trying to compete in 2024, but before they do that, a few players have a chance to win some awards.
Tommy Edman was named a finalist for the NL Utility Gold Glove in October and now Nolan Arenado also joins Edman for a chance to receive an award, being announced as a finalist for a Silver Slugger Award Thursday.
Arenado is the lone Cardinals player to be named a finalist for the Silver Slugger Award.
Arenado had a tough 2023 season, and while the season was a bit of a struggle with the glove defensively, he had no problem with the bat to begin the season, with Arenado posting a OPS of .851 in the first half and hitting 19 home runs.
However, a multitude of issues in the second-half, which included Arenado dealing with back issues and a slump, led to Arenado overall numbers dipping massively, with Arenado only hitting seven home runs and posting an OPS of .683 in the second half before he was shut down in mid-September after going homerless in his last 26 games.
Overall, Arenado's .774 OPS and 109 OPS+ were his lowest numbers in a full 162-game season since his rookie year in 2013.
San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado, Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy and Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley were also named finalists for the Silver Slugger Award at third base, alongside Arenado.
Even though he is a finalist, it is highly unlikely Arenado will collect his second consecutive Silver Slugger and his sixth overall, with Austin Riley the clear favorite to win the award.
The winners of the 2023 Silver Slugger Awards will be revealed on MLB Network at 5 p.m. on Nov. 9.