Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez and Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez learned last week that they will play in the 2026 All-Star Game. On Monday, in celebration of their on-field play during the past seven days, they were named the Players of the Week in the AL and NL, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Giants’ Casey Schmitt earned Play of the Week honors with his stop, step and throw from foul ground to start an unbelievable double play against the Rockies on Friday.
Alvarez, who has won Player of the Week three times this season and six times in his career, slashed .435/.462/.957 across 26 plate appearances last week. He hit four homers and led all Junior Circuit players with 11 RBIs.
His first dinger of the week was a grand slam in a victory over the Twins on Tuesday, and his last dinger was a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth inning that completed a five-run comeback versus the Rays. Alvarez hit two homers that night, giving him 29 for the season, which is tops in the AL.
Lopez’s Marlins (49-42) find themselves percentage points behind the Cardinals for the NL’s third Wild Card spot. After capping a historic June on Tuesday, Miami finished the week by sweeping the A’s in West Sacramento. Lopez went 8-for-14 with two home runs during that three-game series and batted a clean .500 (14-for-28) with eight extra-base hits during his team’s six-game week.
Lopez’s 14 hits -- the most among all players -- added to his MLB-best .346 average. This is the first-time All-Star’s first time winning Player of the Week.
Schmitt was making just his fifth start of the season at third base Friday when he snared a high chopper from the Rockies’ Tyler Freeman with the bases loaded and no outs. If the ball gets by him, perhaps three runs score. Instead, Schmitt reached out and gloved it while running into foul territory. He had the wherewithal to step on the third-base bag for one out and then somehow turned his body on the run and slung a long throw across the diamond for a 5-3 double play.