Phillies Star Bryce Harper Named 2021 NL Hank Aaron Award Winner
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- 'Tis the season for Bryce Harper awards. The Phillies star on Tuesday was named the winner of the 2021 National League Hank Aaron Award, given to the best overall offensive performer.
This comes one day after the 29-year-old was named a finalist for the 2021 NL MVP, and two weeks after his peers awarded him the 2021 Most Outstanding Player in the Players Choice Awards.
It's the second time Harper has taken home the Hank Aaron Award, his first being for the 2015 season when he also won the NL MVP and Most Outstanding Player award as a member of the Nationals.
Harper's 1.044 OPS was the best in all of baseball, as was his .615 slugging percentage. He finished tied for the MLB lead in doubles with a career-high 42 and his .429 on-base percentage was second in the majors.
He also became the fourth active player to slug his 250th career home run before his 29th birthday, joining Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout.
Harper finished hitting .309/.429/.615 with 35 home runs, 42 doubles, 84 RBIs, 100 walks, 101 runs and a 179 OPS+. He had a 5.9 WAR by Baseball-Reference standards and a 6.6 WAR by FanGraphs.
Joining Harper as finalists for the NL Hank Aaron Award were Freddie Freeman of the Braves, Nick Castellanos of the Reds, Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres, Brandon Crawford of the Giants, Paul Goldschmidt of the Cardinals and Juan Soto of the Nationals.
Tatis and Soto are also finalists for the NL MVP.
Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won the 2021 AL Hank Aaron Award.
The 2021 NL MVP will be revealed on Nov. 18.
