Mets' Dynamic Duo Named Silver Slugger Award Finalists

The two cornerstones of the Mets' lineup are being recognized for their strong offensive seasons.

Sep 3, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates with shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) after hitting a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The New York Mets have two finalists for the 2024 Silver Slugger Awards - and it's the usual suspects.

Shortstop Francisco Lindor and first baseman Pete Alonso are being recognized for their offensive production by being selected as Silver Slugger finalists at their respective positions. The Mets in general had one of the strongest lineups in all of baseball, but Lindor and Alonso serve as the twin engines that allow it to hum.

Here are the finalists for the 2024 National League Silver Slugger Awards.

Winners will be announced Nov. 12. pic.twitter.com/W9EkEoe1k4

— MLB (@MLB) November 4, 2024

The 30-year-old Lindor got off to a slow start by hitting .195/.268/.362 in his first 44 games, but everything changed on May 18 when Mets manager Carlos Mendoza moved his star shortstop to the leadoff spot. From there, Lindor tore the cover off the ball by slashing .304/.374/.554 with 31 doubles, 26 home runs, 70 RBI, 82 runs scored, and a 160 wRC+ while remaining at the top of the order for the remainder of the season. Overall, Lindor hit .273/.344/.500 with 39 doubles, 33 home runs, 91 RBI, 107 runs scored, a career-best 137 wRC+, and 29 stolen bases for good measure. Lindor's fellow shortstop finalists are Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers and Elly De La Cruz of the Cincinnati Reds, but the Mets' leadoff hitter is the heavy favorite to claim the honor.

The 29-year old Alonso ironically had a down year by his standards, as he hit .240/.329/.459 with 34 home runs, 88 RBI, 91 runs scored, and a 122 wRC+; the home run, RBI, and slugging percentage totals are all the lowest of his career (In a full 162-game season). However, if all of those numbers are the floor of Alonso's production, that certainly speaks volumes to his consistency as one of the game's best power hitters. It's unlikely that the 29-year-old will beat out fellow first basemen Freddie Freeman of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Bryce Harper of the Philadelphia Phillies, but his importance to New York's lineup cannot be understated; that fact will help him immensely in contract negotiations this offseason.

Surprisingly, third baseman Mark Vientos was not a Silver Slugger finalist, with fellow third basemen Manny Machado, Matt Chapman, and Alec Bohm earning the nods. The 24-year-old enjoyed a breakout season by hitting .266/.322/.516 with 27 home runs, 71 RBI, and a 133 wRC+; Vientos' omission is especially egregious when his wRC+ on the season is higher than all three finalists (Machado with 122, Chapman with 121, and Bohm with 115). In all likelihood, Vientos wasn't nominated due to only playing 111 games, while each finalist played over 140 games.

Additionally, there is now a team-wide Silver Slugger Award, branded as Offensive Team of the Year for both the American and National Leagues. The Mets were not nominated for this award, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks are the two finalists (both were the highest-scoring teams in all of baseball and rank in the top four in team wRC+, so their selections are justified). Nonetheless, New York's lineup ranked seventh in the majors with 768 runs scored and a 109 team wRC+, so their batting order is one of the strongest in the league in their own right.

The Silver Slugger Award winners will be announced on Tuesday, November 12 at 6:00 PM ET on MLB Network.