4 Padres players who never got the chance to win a Silver Slugger Award

The San Diego Padres have a storied history, even if the organization wasn't founded until 1969. Whether they were here for a decade or just a quick cup of coffee, elite hitters have come and gone, racking up several Louisville Slugger Silver Slugger Awards.

As the 2026 regular season is nearing a close, we're taking a look back at some of the team's greatest hitters that did not have the opportunity to win a Silver Slugger Award as a Friar. The award did not come into existence until 1980, so there is a decade-plus worth of hitters who missed their chance at winning a heralded milestone.

Dave Winfield, Nate Colbert among hitters who deserved a Silver Slugger in a Padres uniform

Nate Colbert

Only Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis Jr. have hit more home runs in San Diego than the late Nate Colbert. From 1969-74, Colbert crushed 163 of his 173 career homers with the Padres.

This included four consecutive campaigns with an OPS better than .800. In 1970 and 1972, Colbert notched 38 home runs. In 1972, only Johnny Bench hit more home runs than Colbert. His 111 RBIs that year was fourth in the National League.

You could argue that Colbert probably deserved a few Silver Sluggers. But, he definitely had at least one season worthy of the award.

Cito Gaston

Like Colbert, Gaston had a terrific 1970 season. He batted .318 with career-high numbers in hits (186), home runs (29), RBIs (93), and doubles (26). Gaston would only hit 62 home runs combined in his other 10 seasons, but his 1970 campaign was strong enough for a Silver Slugger.

George Hendrick

Outside from St. Louis, Hendrick is one of the most underrated players from the 1970s. The former first overall draft pick only spent two seasons with San Diego, but he made them count. In 1977, his first year with the club, he hit .311 alongside 25 doubles and 23 home runs.

Then in 1978, he spent time with the Padres and Cardinals, when he logged 31 doubles and 20 home runs. His perfect mix of hitting for power and contact would have drawn interest for a Silver Slugger.

Dave Winfield

We're going to count Winfield here. The Hall-of-Famer had one season with the Padres when the Silver Slugger Award existed. In 1980, his final season with San Diego, he batted .276 with 20 home runs. It wasn't a prototypical Winfield campaign, but he went on to win five consecutive Silver Sluggers with the New York Yankees from 1981-85. Considering Winfield's dominance with the Padres through 1979, we can't help but be hurt by this missed opportunity.

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