Texas Rangers announce 2023 team award recipients
Arlington, Texas—The Texas Rangers today announced the recipients of the club’s 2023 team awards as selected by the Dallas-Fort Worth chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.
In addition, the club announced the return of the Texas Rangers Awards Dinner – World Series Champions Edition, presented by Coca-Cola on Friday, January 26, 2024, at Globe Life Field. Tickets go on sale today at rangers.com/awardsdinner.
The Awards Dinner is one of the two events that will honor and recognize the 2023 World Series Champions. Texas Rangers Fan Fest presented by Comerica Bank is scheduled for the following day, Saturday, January 27 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Globe Life Field. Tickets for Fan Fest will be available for purchase at rangers.com beginning on Monday, December 18.
The Rangers Player of the Year is shortstop Corey Seager, who batted .327 with 33 home runs and 96 RBI in 119 games. Despite missing 43 games due to two IL stints, Seager led the A.L. in doubles (42) and ranked among the league leaders in batting average (2nd), slugging (2nd, .623), extra base hits (T2nd, 75), on-base percentage (3rd, .390), homers (T5th), and RBI (T10th). He finished second in the A.L. BBWAA MVP voting and earned an A.L. Silver Slugger Award. Seager is the first shortstop to win Rangers Player of the Year honors since Elvis Andrus in 2017
The Rangers Pitcher of the Year is Dane Dunning, who was 12-7 with a 3.70 ERA in 35 games/26 starts with Texas in 2023. The righthander led the staff in innings (172.2), tied for first in wins, and ranked third in starts and strikeouts (140) while ranking among the A.L. leaders in victories (T10th) and ERA (12th). After opening 2023 in the bullpen, Dunning joined the rotation in early May and made a team high 25 starts from May 1 on. He was previously selected as the team’s Pitcher of the Year in 2021, becoming the seventh individual to win multiple awards (6—Charlie Hough; 4—Kenny Rogers; 2 each—Yu Darvish, Rick Helling, Fergie Jenkins, C.J. Wilson).
The Rangers Rookie of the Year is Josh Jung, the third fulltime third baseman to be honored, joining Roy Howell (1975) and Mike Lamb (2000). Jung batted .266 with 23 homers and 70 RBI in 122 games as he missed nearly six weeks in August and September with a left thumb fracture. He ranked third among A.L. rookies in doubles (25), RBI, total bases (223), extra base hits (49), and home runs (tied). The A.L. Rookie of the Month in both April and May, Jung was elected as the A.L.’s All-Star Game starting third baseman, the first Rangers rookie to ever start a Midsummer Classic.
The Harold McKinney Good Guy Award goes to first baseman Nathaniel Lowe, who batted .262 with 17 homers and 82 RBI in 161 games this past season. Lowe ranked among the A.L. leaders in walks (2nd, 93), doubles (5th, 38), hits (T8th, 163), and on-base percentage (10th, .360). He fielded .998 at first base to earn his first A.L. Rawlings Gold Glove Award.
The Richard Durrett Hardest Working Player Award, which has been presented annually since 2014 to a player who demonstrates significant improvement over the previous season or seasons through hard work, was awarded to centerfielder Leody Taveras. He batted .266 with 14 homers, 67 RBI, and 14 stolen bases in 143 games with the Rangers in 2023.
In addition to the team awards, catcher Jonah Heim, rightfielder Adolis Garcia, and Lowe will be presented with their 2023 A.L. Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, and second baseman Marcus Semien and Seager will receive their 2023 A.L. Silver Slugger Awards. Other special presentations are also planned to honor the 2023 World Series Champions.
Two tickets options are available for purchase. Fans can buy a table for 10 in a preferred seating area for $2,500 or an individual ticket for $200. All proceeds benefit the Texas Rangers Baseball Foundation. The Awards Dinner, which will take place on the playing field at Globe Life Field, begins at 5:30 p.m.
The Texas Rangers Awards Dinner – World Series Champions Edition is supported by Bally Sports Southwest, CBS Texas/TXA21, 105.3 FM The FAN, and Univision.
The 2024 Texas Rangers Fan Fest presented by Comerica Bank will feature autograph sessions with select Rangers players and alumni, question and answer sessions, on-field activities, photo opportunities and more. Additional information will be released in the coming weeks.
2024 season ticket packages are now on sale, and information can be found at rangers.com or by calling 972-RANGERS.