Padres History: Remembering the iconic, short-stinted 1992 Silver Slugging duo

The San Diego Padres are home to several Silver Slugger Award winners. it's one of the most exciting awards given out each year to highlight the best hitters at each position, and for the 2025 season, FanSided and The Baseball Insiders: A FanSided MLB Podcast has exclusive access to reveal the award winners, which will be on November 6 at 3 p.m. PST for the National League stream.

But before we find out if anyone on the Padres will win a Silver Slugger this year, let's take a look at a blast from the past. There are some surprising Silver Sluggers in the Friars' history, but the 1992 duo of Gary Sheffield and Fred McGriff was the most obvious power tandem to grace San Diego in the 20th century.

Fred McGriff, Gary Sheffield spent little time in San Diego, but are both Padres Silver Sluggers

McGriff, a Hall of Famer, spent the 1991 and 1992 seasons with the Padres. Sheffield was a Padre for one full season (1992) before getting sent to the Florida Marlins midway through 1993.

But in 1992, this powerful tandem provided a magic to a team that probably didn't deserve it. San Diego barely squeaked out a winning season, going 82-80 with a subpar lineup. McGriff and Sheffield combined for 68 home runs. The rest of the Padres? They combined for 67 homers.

McGriff led the National League with 35 home runs en route to his first-ever All-Star Game appearance. It was one of two seasons he ever led the league in homers. McGriff also tallied 30 doubles and four triples to finish up with a .556 slugging percentage and .950 OPS at 28 years old.

McGriff tied for sixth place in the National League MVP voting that season. He retired with three total Silver Slugger Awards.

Just like McGriff, 1992 season also garnered Sheffield's first All-Star Game nod. He hit .330, which was good for the batting title, alongside clipping a .580 slugging percentage and .965 OPS. Sheffield muscled 33 home runs, 34 doubles, and three triples. It was the first of five Silver Slugger Awards for him, as he finished third in the NL MVP race.

The Padres had two of the best hitters in the National League in 1992 (plus Tony Gwynn!), but the squad still fell short of a postseason bid. They placed third in the NL West standings.