J.D. Martinez Named American League Player of the Week

Detroit Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending May 21st. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
            
Martinez hit .389 (7-for-18) with seven runs scored, four home runs, nine RBI and 10 walks over six games to claim his third career AL Player of the Week Award, last winning on July 5, 2016. Among AL leaders, J.D. finished the week first in on-base percentage (.607) and slugging percentage (1.056); tied for first in walks; tied for second in home runs and RBI; tied for sixth in runs scored; and tied for seventh in extra-base hits (4). This is Detroit's first weekly honor since J.D.'s teammate Miguel Cabrera was awarded AL Player of the Week last season (October 2nd).
Martinez began his award-winning week in grand fashion on Tuesday night against the Baltimore Orioles, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of home runs, five RBI and four walks. The Miami, Florida native became the first Major Leaguer to log two homers and four walks in a game since Derrek Lee of the Miami Marlins accomplished the feat on June 10, 2002 at Kansas City. His grand slam in the seventh inning was the third of his career, and first since June 16, 2014 vs. Kansas City. On Thursday afternoon against the Orioles at Comerica Park, the 29-year-old blasted a game-tying three-run homer that propelled Detroit's comeback in the eventual 6-5 victory. Martinez, who missed the first 33 games of the season because of injury, recorded his fifth round-tripper since being activated from the disabled list. J.D. became the first AL player to hit at least five home runs in his first six games of a season since Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays did so in 2009. Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies was the last Major League player to accomplish the feat, belting seven homers in his first six games last season. The 2015 AL All-Star continued his torrid stretch on Saturday, hitting his sixth home run of the season in Detroit's 9-3 win over the Texas Rangers. Martinez became the first Tigers player to log six homers in his first eight games of a season since Chris Shelton in 2006, and the first AL slugger since Nelson Cruz did so for the Rangers in 2010.
Second baseman Devon Travis (.542, 13 H, 6 2B, 8 RBI) of the Toronto Blue Jays also posted an impressive week. Entering play today, Travis has recorded 14 doubles this month, the most for a Blue Jays second baseman in the month of May in club history. Across all Toronto position players, Travis is tied for second with Carlos Delgado (1998) and trails only Fred Lewis, who recorded 15 two-baggers in May 2010. Additionally, outfielder Corey Dickerson (.385, 9 R, 5 HR, 9 RBI) of the Rays was excellent during the period. Entering play today, The 28-year-old has delivered two hits in each of his last five games. On Friday night, Baltimore's backstop Welington Castillo (.455, 5 R, 3 HR, 10 RBI) hit a game-tying homer in the sixth inning and a walk-off home run in the 10th inning of Baltimore's 5-3 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Castillo joined Mike Young as the second Orioles player since 1954 to produce a game-tying homer and game-ending homer in the sixth inning-or-later of a game. Other noteworthy performances last week included second baseman Tim Anderson (.462, 7 R, 5 XBH) of the Chicago White Sox and starting pitcher José Berríos (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 7.2 IP, 11 SO) of the Minnesota Twins.
In recognition of his American League Player of the Week Award, J.D. Martinez will be awarded a watch courtesy of Rockwell.