Jensen, Devers slug way to Player of the Week honors

Although their clubs are no longer in the mix for postseason contention, Royals rookie Carter Jensen and Giants star Rafael Devers are still giving fans plenty to cheer about, and their September exploits led to both taking home the most recent Player of the Week Awards in their respective leagues.

• All-time Player of the Week winners

Jensen, who has gone deep 22 times during his rookie season in Kansas City, went 8-for-19 (.421) with three doubles, a triple and three home runs while scoring six runs and driving home six more in five games behind the plate.

This is the first AL Player of the Week Award for Jensen, the first by a Royals player since Bobby Witt Jr. on May 11, and the first by a K.C. rookie since Vinnie Pasquantino on Aug. 15, 2022.

Devers was 10-for-26 (.385) with two doubles, six homers and 13 RBIs in seven games for San Francisco, and he went deep at least once in five of those seven contests. Building upon a solid first half, the three-time All-Star has been on a tear since the Midsummer Classic, posting a .993 OPS with 16 homers and 40 RBIs in 49 games.

This is the fifth career Player of the Week Award for Devers, who won the AL honors three times with the Red Sox in 2019, '23 and '25 before taking his first NL POTW Award in San Francisco last Sept. 2.

This week's Play of the Week might also end up being the catch of the year.

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the Orioles clinging to a 2-1 lead over the Rockies at Coors Field on Aug. 31, Baltimore center fielder Colton Cowser made an incredible leaping grab at the fence to rob Jake McCarthy of what would have been a walk-off two-run homer.

How good was it?

“It’s the best play I’ve ever seen,” Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said after the game.