The Silver Slugger Award has long recognized the premier offensive players at each position, and the Chicago Cubs have produced their share of deserving winners. Yet not every winner in team history was an obvious choice, and Jake Arrieta's win in 2016 stands out as one of the most surprising Cubs Silver Slugger winners.
At the time, the universal designated hitter rule had not been implemented, and Arrieta was one of the many National League pitchers who had to take his own at-bats on the days he took the mound. Most people remember the Herculean efforts that Arrieta delivered as a pitcher, including an unbelievable 2015 season where he took home the National League Cy Young Award.