Will 2 KC Royals stars win their Silver Slugger battles?

To say the 2023 major league season was a rough one for the KC Royals would be a massive understatement, but a bright spot appeared on the horizon earlier this week when shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and catcher Salvador Perez were named Silver Slugger finalists at their respective positions.

Are the 2 stars' nominations a silver lining for the 2023 KC Royals?

Silver Sluggers have been awarded to the best offensive players at each position in both the American and National Leagues for almost 45 years. There are no strict statistical criteria for the award — instead, managers and coaches vote for players they feel made the biggest impacts with their bats. Naturally, the subjective nature of the voting process means projecting winners is often as difficult and controversial as it is with its defensive cousin, the Gold Glove.

This has not prevented several Royals from winning the award in the past, however. Nine Kansas City players have won Silver Sluggers (a good tidbit for Immaculate Grid players to keep in mind) and three have won it multiple times. Past Kansas City winners include Perez (four times), George Brett (three times), Willie Wilson (twice), Frank White, Gary Gaetti, Dean Palmer, Billy Butler, Kendrys Morales, and Eric Hosmer.

Perez's four Sluggers lead the franchise. His most recent win came with his 48-home run season in 2021. What are the chances that Witt and Perez can bring home some hardware for their 2023 performances at the plate?

Let's take a look at their respective opponents and battles.