Nate Freiman of the Oakland Athletics named the American League Rookie of the Month for May

Oakland Athletics first baseman Nate Freiman has been voted American League Rookie of the Month for May. The Athletics have now claimed two of the last three rookie honors after Yoenis Cespedes was tabbed in September 2012. Freiman batted .351 (13-for-37) with three doubles, one home run and nine RBI in 14 games, tallying four multi-hit games during the stretch. Freiman compiled a career-best four-game hitting streak from May 26th-29th, going 6-for-11 (.545) with seven RBI as Oakland went 4-0 during the streak. Among A.L. rookies, the 26-year-old was second in RBI, tied for fourth in doubles, tied for sixth in hits and homers and was eighth overall in at-bats.

On May 3rd, the right-handed-hitting Freiman notched a career-high three hits in a 2-0 Athletics victory over the New York Yankees in the Bronx. It was Nate's first multi-hit game since his Major League debut on April 3rd, when the Duke University product went 2-for-3 in an 8-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners in Oakland. Against the Texas Rangers on May 14th, the eighth round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft (by San Diego) went 2-for-3 with a run scored and a sixth-inning RBI-double that broke a 3-3 tie, but Texas edged Oakland, 6-5, at O.co Coliseum. On May 26th versus the Houston Astros, Freiman doubled, homered, drove in three runs and scored twice to lead his Club to a 6-2 triumph to complete a brief two-game sweep at Minute Maid Park. Four days later, Nate singled twice and collected three RBI, including a two-run, pinch-hit single in the fifth inning as
the A's won, 9-6, over the San Francisco Giants at AT&T Park. Last September, Freiman was a member of Team Israel during the World Baseball Classic Qualifier at Jupiter, Florida, where he hit .417 with four home runs and seven RBI over three games.

Others A.L. rookies receiving votes included Freiman's Athletics teammate Dan Straily (2-2, 4.55 ERA, 27.2 IP, 16 K); Cody Allen (0-0, 1.98 ERA, 14 G, 13.2 IP, 1 SV, 2 BB, 18 SO) of the Cleveland Indians; Robert Coello (1-1, 0.79 ERA, 9 G, 11.1 IP, 1 SV, 1 BB, 18 SO) of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim; Ryan Pressly (2-0, 1.10 ERA, 10 G, 16.1 IP, 11 SO) and Oswaldo Arcia
(.279, 4 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI) of the Minnesota Twins; Preston Claiborne (0-0, 0.61 ERA, 10 G, 0 BB, 11 SO) and Vidal Nuno (1-2, 2.65 ERA, 7 SO) of the New York Yankees; Jose Iglesias (.423, 11 H, 3 2B) of the Boston Red Sox; and Justin Grimm (3-3, 5.05 ERA, 29 SO) of the Texas Rangers.

In recognition of his American League Rookie of the Month Award, Nate Freiman will receive a specially designed trophy, suitably engraved, for his accomplishment.