The Texas Rangers have announced their players of the year. They are as follows:
The Rangers Player of the Year is shortstop Corey Seager
Seager batted .327 with 33 home runs and 96 RBI in 119 games. Despite missing 43 games due to two IL stints, Seager led the A.L. in doubles (42) and ranked among the league leaders in batting average (2nd), slugging (2nd, .623), extra base hits (T2nd, 75), on-base percentage (3rd, .390), homers (T5th), and RBI (T10th). He finished second in the A.L. BBWAA MVP voting and earned an A.L. Silver Slugger Award. Seager is the first shortstop to win Rangers Player of the Year honors since Elvis Andrus in 2017.
The Rangers Pitcher of the Year is Dane Dunning
He was 12-7 with a 3.70 ERA in 35 games/26 starts with Texas in 2023. The righthander led the staff in innings (172.2), tied for first in wins, and ranked third in starts and strikeouts (140) while ranking among the A.L. leaders in victories (T10th) and ERA (12th). After opening 2023 in the bullpen, Dunning joined the rotation in early May and made a team high 25 starts from May 1 on. He was previously selected as the team’s Pitcher of the Year in 2021, becoming the seventh individual to win multiple awards (6—Charlie Hough; 4—Kenny Rogers; 2 each—Yu Darvish, Rick Helling, Fergie Jenkins, C.J. Wilson).
The Rangers Rookie of the Year is Josh Jung
He is the third fulltime third baseman to be honored, along with Roy Howell (1975) and Mike Lamb (2000). Jung batted .266 with 23 homers and 70 RBI in 122 games as he missed nearly six weeks in August and September with a left thumb fracture. He ranked third among A.L. rookies in doubles (25), RBI, total bases (223), extra base hits (49), and home runs (tied). The A.L. Rookie of the Month in both April and May, Jung was elected as the A.L.’s All-Star Game starting third baseman, the first Rangers rookie to ever start a Midsummer Classic.
The Harold McKinney Good Guy Award goes to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who batted .262 with 17 homers and 82 RBI in 161 games this past season. Lowe ranked among the A.L. leaders in walks (2nd, 93), doubles (5th, 38), hits (T8th, 163), and on-base percentage (10th, .360). He fielded .998 at first base to earn his first A.L. Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
The Richard Durrett Hardest Working Player Award, which has been presented annually since 2014 to a player who demonstrates significant improvement over the previous season or seasons through hard work, was awarded to centerfielder Leody Taveras. He batted .266 with 14 homers, 67 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 143 games with the Rangers in 2023.
In addition to the team awards, catcher Jonah Heim, rightfielder Adolis Garcia, and Lowe will be presented with their 2023 A.L. Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, and second baseman Marcus Semien and Seager will receive their 2023 A.L. Silver Slugger Awards. Other special presentations are also planned to honor the 2023 World Series Champions.
All well deserving Players!
