The Cincinnati Reds received some trash talk on social media on Thursday, but it created a much larger dialogue.
The issue at hand is that the Reds didn’t have a single hitter nominated as a Silver Slugger finalist.
Given that the Reds play in hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark, some posters thought that was embarrassing.
But then one reply pointed out something crazy: Joey Votto never won a Silver Slugger, so how great of an award can it be, anyway?
The Reds’ only Silver Slugger winner since 2014 is Nick Castellanos in 2021.
But let’s get back to Votto. How did he not win one?
JOEY VOTTO NEVER WON A SILVER SLUGGER??? https://t.co/68sFWo1Z0h pic.twitter.com/2rvV5XSH1d
— AT (@YankeeWRLD) October 23, 2025
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Anything bold in that image above is something Votto led the entire National League in. And these are positional awards, so if Votto led the whole league in a key hitting stat, you think he could win out as the best hitting first baseman.
But no, in the two seasons he led the NL in OPS, and the separate season he led in OPS+, no Silver Slugger.
Shoot, he won the dang MVP in 2010 and wasn’t even Silver Slugger. Albert Pujols got it, pretty much by default.
So anyway, that was just an excuse to look back at Votto, appreciate his greatness, and laugh at the silliness of some awards.
