For the previous 50 years, a few of the most potent hitters within the recreation have been acknowledged with the Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, which is offered yearly to the highest DH in baseball. The award was renamed for Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez in 2004, in recognition of the five-time winner's place as one of many all-time greats.

With Thursday marking the fiftieth anniversary of the debut of the designated hitter within the American League, there is no higher time to try each participant who's received the award greater than as soon as.

When it involves designed hitters, Ortiz stands alone. His unprecedented run as the highest designated hitter in baseball began in 2003, when he slugged 31 house runs and drove in 101 runs in his first season with the Red Sox -- after the Twins launched him. From there, Big Papi did not cease, as he received the following 4 Outstanding Designated Hitter Awards earlier than closing out his profession with three wins within the 2010s. Ortiz capped his run in 2016, when he drove in an AL-leading 127 runs and topped the Majors in doubles (48) in his ultimate season.

There's a purpose the award's named after him. While Martinez was an All-Star in 1992, his profession did not really take off till 1995, when he received his first profession Outstanding Designated Hitter Award after he slashed .356/.379/.628 within the common season and potentially saved baseball in Seattle within the postseason. That season set Martinez up on a dominant nine-year run (1996-2004) throughout which he hit .311 and slugged 218 house runs en path to 4 extra awards. Martinez was lastly elected to the Hall of Fame on his tenth and ultimate poll in 2019.

For the primary three years of the designated hitter's existence, most groups stuffed their DH spot with an getting older veteran who nonetheless had a little bit little bit of energy left. That pondering modified in 1976, nonetheless, when a 30-year-old McRae slashed .332/.407/.461 with 22 stolen bases out of the DH spot. He tallied two extra Outstanding Designated Hitter Awards, along with his finest season coming in 1982, when he drove in a league-leading 133 runs and received a Silver Slugger Award.

What cannot Ohtani do? A two-way star, he turned the primary participant to win the award in consecutive seasons since Ortiz received it in 5 straight years from 2003-07. After placing collectively a season for the ages in 2021 (46 house runs, eight triples, 100 RBIs, and a 3.18 ERA), Ohtani as soon as once more excelled on the plate in 2022. He smashed 34 house runs and tallied 95 RBIs whereas making 153 begins at designated hitter, after MLB modified its guidelines to permit Ohtani to stay within the recreation as DH after popping out as a pitcher.

The ageless marvel slugged 346 house runs within the 2010s, the very best mark in baseball over that timeframe. Thirty-nine of these house runs got here in 2017, which helped Cruz earn his first profession Outstanding Designated Hitter Award, at age 37, whereas taking part in for the Mariners. Two years later, Cruz earned his second when he slugged 41 house runs and had 108 RBIs for the Twins.

While there's solely a three-year hole between Molitor's two Outstanding Designated Hitter Awards, they got here at vastly totally different factors in his profession. In 1993, Molitor was on the peak of his powers, as he led all of baseball with 211 hits earlier than batting .458 with two house runs and 7 RBIs within the Blue Jays' World Series win over the Phillies. Three years later, Molitor was within the first 12 months of his three-year tenure along with his hometown Twins. He led the American League with 225 hits that season, batting .341 and clearing the three,000 profession hit plateau.

After struggling in his first 12 months with Oakland in 1988, Parker put collectively a stellar comeback season in 1989, recording 22 house runs and 97 RBIs on an Athletics staff that beat the Giants within the World Series (with Parker including three extra house runs within the postseason). Parker signed with the Brewers in 1990, when he drove in 92 runs and was named to the All-Star staff together with successful his second consecutive Outstanding Designated Hitter Award.

A proper fielder for the primary seven years of profession, Baines turned a full-time designated hitter in 1987 because of a sequence of knee issues. That change did not diminish his skill to get on base, nonetheless, as Baines tallied his third profession All-Star look by batting .293 with 20 house runs and 93 RBIs -- stats that helped him win his first profession Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. While his numbers took a little bit of a dip in 1988 (13 house runs, 81 RBIs), he nonetheless received the award for the second 12 months in a row. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 by the Today's Game Era Committee.

The first participant to win consecutive Outstanding Designated Hitter Awards, Baylor did so on either side of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. After successful the award in 1985 as a member of the Yankees, Baylor was traded to the Red Sox previous to the 1986 season, mashing 31 house runs and 94 RBIs to repeat the feat. Baylor additionally etched his title in Red Sox lore that postseason when helped hold Boston in Game 5 of the ALCS towards the Angels with a two-run house run within the ninth inning.

After spending the primary 11 years of his profession within the National League with the Phillies, Luzinski joined the White Sox in 1981 and wasted no time making his presence recognized, as he slugged 21 house runs in 104 video games to win that 12 months's Outstanding Designated Hitter Award. He tallied his second win two years later, when he slugged 32 house runs (the then-record for many house runs in a season by a chosen hitter) and drove in 95 whereas additionally receiving some down-ballot MVP votes.

A four-time All-Star, Horton was the primary participant to win a number of Outstanding Designated Hitter Awards. And whereas Horton had sturdy numbers when he received his first award in 1975 (25 house runs, 92 RBIs), it pales compared to his record-setting season with Seattle in 1979. After spending the tip of the 1978 season within the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, Horton signed a one-year contract with the Mariners that ended up turning into among the finest signings in Mariners historical past, as he set the franchise document in house runs (25), RBIs (92), hits (180) and complete bases (296) whereas additionally turning into the the forty first participant to clear the 300 house run plateau.

Below is an inventory of the winner from every season for the reason that award's inception:

2022: Shohei Ohtani (Angels)2021: Shohei Ohtani (Angels)2020: Marcell Ozuna (Atlanta)2019: Nelson Cruz (Minnesota)2018: Khris Davis (Oakland)2017: Nelson Cruz (Seattle)2016: David Ortiz (Boston)2015: Kendrys Morales (Kansas City)2014: Victor Martinez (Detroit)2013: David Ortiz (Boston)2012: Billy Butler (Kansas City)2011: David Ortiz (Boston)2010: Vladimir Guerrero (Texas)2009: Adam Lind (Toronto)2008: Aubrey Huff (Baltimore)2007: David Ortiz (Boston)2006: David Ortiz (Boston)2005: David Ortiz (Boston)2004: David Ortiz (Boston)2003: David Ortiz (Boston)2002: Ellis Burks (Cleveland)2001: Edgar Martinez (Seattle)2000: Edgar Martinez (Seattle)1999: Rafael Palmeiro (Texas)1998: Edgar Martinez (Seattle)1997: Edgar Martinez (Seattle)1996: Paul Molitor (Minnesota)1995: Edgar Martinez (Seattle)1994: Not awarded1993: Paul Molitor (Toronto)1992: Dave Winfield (Toronto)1991: Chili Davis (Minnesota)1990: Dave Parker (Milwaukee)1989: Dave Parker (Oakland)1988: Harold Baines (Chicago)1987: Harold Baines (Chicago)1986: Don Baylor (Boston)1985: Don Baylor (New York)1984: Dave Kingman (Oakland)1983: Greg Luzinski (Chicago)1982: Hal McRae (Kansas City)1981: Greg Luzinski (Chicago)1980: Hal McRae (Kansas City)1979: Willie Horton (Seattle)1978: Rusty Staub (Detroit)1977: Jim Rice (Boston)1976: Hal McRae (Kansas City)1975: Willie Horton (Detroit)1974: Tommy Davis (Baltimore)1973: Orlando Cepeda (Boston)

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