Keuchel Named American League Co-Player of the Week

Major League Baseball announced this afternoon that Houston Astros left-handed pitcher Dallas Keuchel has been named the American League Co-Player of the Week along with Kansas City outfielder Lorenzo Cain for the week of July 13-19. This marks Keuchel's first Player of the Week Award this season and the second of his career (also, May 19-25, 2014).

Keuchel started once during the week, which consisted of just this weekend's games, dominating the Rangers in 7.0 scoreless innings, while allowing just two hits. He fanned 13 and did not issue a walk in the Astros 10-0 win yesterday. Keuchel became the first Astros pitcher to record 13 strikeouts in a single game since left-handed pitcher Wandy Rodriguez also fanned 13 on Aug. 29, 2011 vs. PIT. Prior to Keuchel, the last Astros pitcher to record 13 strikeouts without issuing a walk was right-handed pitcher Shane Reynolds on Aug. 15, 1999 vs. PIT.

Yesterday's win at Minute Maid Park improved Keuchel's home record to 9-0 on the season, making him the first pitcher in franchise history to win his first nine decisions at home to begin a single season. Dating back to last year, Keuchel has won 10 consecutive decisions at home, which ties as the third-longest home winning streak in franchise history and the longest since right-handed pitcher Roy Oswalt also won 10 straight from April 10-July 26, 2005.

Additionally, on Tuesday, Keuchel became the fourth pitcher in franchise history to start an All-Star Game and did so opposite Dodgers right-handed pitcher Zack Greinke. With Greinke tossing 8.0 shutout innings on Sunday, per Elias, this marked the first time since the inception of the All-Star Game in 1933 that the starting pitchers in a Midsummer Classic each had scoreless outings of any length in their first game following the break. Greinke was also named the NL's Co-Player of the Week.

While this is Keuchel's first weekly award this season, he has won two monthly awards, taking home the American League Pitcher of the Month in both April and May. He is the first player in franchise history to win two monthly and one weekly awards in the same season. He is also the second Astro to win an AL Player of the Week award this season, joining second baseman Jose Altuve, who was also named a Co-Player of the Week for the week of May 19-25.

On the season, Keuchel is 12-4 with three complete games and a 2.12 ERA (34ER/144.1IP) in 20 starts. He leads the AL in wins, ERA and innings pitched and ranks third in opponent batting average (.203). According to Baseball-Reference, Keuchel leads AL pitchers in WAR (5.1), trailing on Greinke (6.0) in the Majors.

In recognition of his American League Co-Player of the Week Award, Keuchel will be awarded an engraved watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.

-ASTROS-