Dodgers’ Silver Slugger team nod falls flat after offense’s sour end to 2026

Katrina Stebbins of Dodgers Way argues that the Los Angeles Dodgers do not deserve the 2026 Silver Slugger team award despite being named finalists alongside Shohei Ohtani and Max Muncy. After winning the award in 2025, the Dodgers saw a notable offensive decline in 2026, dropping down the National League statistical rankings while the Chicago Cubs led the league in home runs, RBI, runs scored, walks, and OPS.

The writer notes that severe offensive slumps in July and August exposed the team's vulnerabilities before a postseason exit thwarted their three-peat ambitions. Although players like Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernández showed late-season signs of life, an injured Ohtani and a struggling Freddie Freeman contributed to a sour end, leading Stebbins to conclude the Cubs should win the team honor on November 17.