White Sox First Baseman José Abreu Wins AL Hank Aaron Award
CHICAGO (CBS) -- White Sox slugger José Abreu has a new trophy to add to his shelf, after he was named the American League winner of the 2020 Hank Aaron Award for the most outstanding offensive player.
He's the first Cuban-born player and the first member of the White Sox to win the Hank Aaron Award.
Abreu, 33, already had been named American League Most Valuable Player, and had won a Silver Slugger Award this season. He joins Mike Trout as the only two players in Major League Baseball history to win an AL MVP, an AL Rookie of the Year Award, a Silver Slugger, and a Hank Aaron Award.
The first baseman played in all 60 games during the shortened 2020 season, finishing with a .317/.370/.617 slash line, with 15 doubles, 19 home runs, and 60 RBI. He led the American League in hits, slugging percentage, total bases, and extra base hits; and tied for the AL lead in multi-hit games, and WAR. Abreu was the only player to rank among the AL Top 5 in hits, RBI, slugging percentage, extra-base hits, total bases, home runs, average and OPS.
"It is truly a great honor to receive this award," said Abreu. "Not even in my craziest dreams did I think my name one day would be alongside one of the greatest hitters in the history of the sport. That is why getting this Hank Aaron award makes me feel so humbled. I want to thank God, my family, teammates, coaches and everyone that has helped me and supported me."
Abreu was the first player to lead the American League in RBI in consecutive seasons since David Ortiz accomplished that feat for the Red Sox in 2005-06. He's also the fourth player in history to lead the AL in hits and RBI, joining Jim Rice (1979), Carl Yastrzemski (1967) and Lou Gehrig (1931). He also was the first qualifying player to record as many RBI as games played in a season since Sammy Sosa of the Cubs (160) and Cleveland's Juan González (140) in 2001.
Abreu helped lead the White Sox to their first playoff appearance since 2008, going 4-14 with a double, home run, and two RBI in the three-game AL Wild Card Series against the Oakland Athletics.
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