Cole Hamels Of The Philadelphia Phillies Named National League Player of the Week

Philadelphia Phillies starter Cole Hamels has been named the National League Player of the Week for the period ending August 19th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

In two starts last week, Hamels tied for the Major League lead with two wins (2-0), while ranking first among N.L. pitchers and second in the Majors with 16.2 innings pitched. The left-hander notched 15 strikeouts, the second-most in baseball last week, across his two outings, while posting a 1.62 ERA (three earned runs in 16.2 innings pitched). He walked just two batters on the week, one in each of his starts. Hamels began the week with a complete-game shutout in his August 13th outing in Miami. The San Diego native fanned five Marlins over 9.0 innings of work en route to a 4-0 victory. It marked the second straight shutout for Hamels, who had blanked the Braves in his previous start on August 7th, marking the first time he had thrown consecutive complete-game shutouts in his seven-year career. On Saturday, Hamels improved his record to 14-6 this season, holding the Brewers to three runs over 7.2 innings to earn the win in a 4-3 victory at Miller Park. After retiring the side in order in the first inning, the 28-year-old extended his scoreless innings streak to 23.0 (dating back to August 2nd at Washington), besting Kyle Kendrick’s 22.0-inning streak (June 28th – August 3rd) as the longest by a Phillies pitcher this year. Hamels struck out 10 Brewers on the day, matching his season-high (also April 15th vs. New York). The three-time N.L. All-Star currently ranks second in the league with 171.1 innings pitched while his 168 strikeouts rank third. Hamels, who was the 2008 World Series MVP presented by Chevrolet, is tied for fifth among N.L. pitchers in wins and his 2.94 ERA ranks ninth. This is his first career weekly award.

Other noteworthy performances last week included Hamels’ Philadelphia teammate Kyle Kendrick (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 13 SO, 15.0 IP); Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun (.320, 4 HR, 6 RBI, .840 SLG); Cincinnati’s Jay Bruce (.429, 12 H, 3 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 9 R, .929 SLG, .448 OBP); Washington’s Danny Espinosa (.458, 11 H, 3 HR, 7 RBI, .875 SLG, .500 OBP); Colorado’s Dexter Fowler (.476, 10 H, 7 R, .560 OBP); Pittsburgh’s Garrett Jones (.423, 11 H, 4 2B, 2 HR, 12 RBI, .808 SLG); Chad Billingsley (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 9 SO, 15.0 IP) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and Atlanta’s Kris Medlen (1-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, SHO, 6 SO, 9.0 IP).

In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Cole Hamels will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.