Judge, Soto, named AL Silver Sluggers — Photo courtesy of Jonna Perlinger

November 13, 2024

Back-to-back, belly-to-belly, Soto and Judge awarded Silver Slugger honors

Judge , MLB. Silver Slugger Award , Soto , Yankees

Aaron Judge and Juan Soto have both earned Silver Slugger honors for the 2024 season, showcasing their exceptional offensive skill and consistent impact. Soto’s award is especially historic, as it ties him with Mike Trout for the most Silver Sluggers (five) by age 26, solidifying his place among the game’s elite young stars. This season, Judge and Soto dominated multiple batting categories, earning AL MVP finalist spots and leading the Yankees to the Louisville Slugger AL Offensive Team of the Year award. With a league-leading fWAR of 33.7, a wRC+ of 117, and an MLB-best 237 home runs, the Yankees’ lineup thrived. But as the $700-million-ish question lingers, fans are left to wonder: will the Bronx Bombers keep the dynamic duo together?

Juan Soto had a career year

In what might be his only season with the Yankees, “generational talent” Juan Soto made every moment count. At the young age of 26, Soto set career highs in runs (128), hits, home runs, total bases (328), and extra-base hits (76) during a standout regular season. He ranked second in the majors in walks, times on base (299), and runs scored, while finishing fourth in home runs, slugging percentage, and position-player fWAR (8.1). The highly anticipated free-agent addition also delivered a .288/.419/.569 slash line and an elite 119/129 K/BB ratio, cementing his reputation as one of baseball’s most impactful players.

Aaron Judge deserves the AL MVP honors

Aaron Judge delivered a historic season at the plate, leading the majors in home runs, RBIs, and OPS. The Yankees’ captain posted a remarkable .322/.458/.701 slash line, with 58 home runs and 144 RBIs, while pacing all American League hitters with 392 total bases. His 218 wRC+ even surpassed his 2022 performance, the season when he set the AL record with 62 home runs. According to Baseball Reference, Judge’s 2024 campaign ranks as the best offensive season in history by any player not named Babe Ruth or Barry Bonds. This marks Judge’s fourth Silver Slugger award in his eight-year career with the Yankees.

Together, they were historic

In addition to posting career individual high’s this season, the pair made teammate history. The duo joined the prestigious ranks of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig (1927, ’30, ’31) and Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris (1961) as the third pair of Yankees teammates to notch 40+ home runs in the same season.

The Dynamic Duo Highlights

Remaining BBWAA Awards

Nov. 18: Jackie Robinson Rookies of the Year – Luis Gil and Austin Wells are finalists
Nov. 19: Managers of the Year
Nov. 20: Cy Young Awards
Nov. 21: MVP Awards – Judge and Soto are finalists

Remaining Other Awards

Nov. 14: Hank Aaron Award – Judge and Soto are finalists

About the Author

Jonna Perlinger

Social Media Director, Baseball Content Lead, New York Yankees Lead Writer

Jonna Perlinger is a lifelong Yankees fan with pinstripes in her veins and a storyteller’s heart for the game of baseball. Her love for the sport began at birth, but truly ignited at age six when she was handed a broken bat by Buck Showalter – just before the Yankees’ 90s dynasty took off. Since then, she’s been captivated not only by the game on the field, but by the history, emotion, and stories that live within it.

Jonna brings that passion to her role with On New Jersey Sports, where she covers the Yankees and contributes baseball content with a voice rooted in nostalgia, storytelling, and deep appreciation for the sport’s legacy. After volunteering at MLB All-Star Week in 2021, she turned her lifelong love of baseball into a career in sports media and hasn’t looked back.

She is also the founder of Babe’s Babes Media, a platform dedicated to amplifying women’s voices in baseball, and she proudly carries her Omaha roots into her work, covering the College World Series – the “Greatest Show on Dirt.”

Most recently, Jonna was credentialed for the MLB Winter Meetings, and she continues to cover the sport at every level – including the reigning Big East Champion Creighton Bluejays in 2026.