Jason Castro of the Houston Astros named the American League Player of the Week

Houston Astros catcher Jason Castro has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending August 25th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network. Castro batted .529 (9-for-17) with two doubles, one triple, three home runs, five RBI, seven runs scored and four walks in six games to claim his second career weekly honor. Castro previously won earlier this season for the week ending May 26th, marking the first time since Lance Berkman in 2008 that an Astro has garnered multiple Player of the Week Awards in a single season. The left-handed-hitting backstop led the Majors in batting average, slugging percentage (1.294) and on-base percentage (.619), and was tied for second in homers, runs scored and total bases (22).

In a Lone Star State showdown on Monday against the Texas Rangers, the 26-year-old walked, doubled and scored a run in a 15-6 loss to the A.L. West leaders at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. On Wednesday, the California native went 2-for-3 with a solo homer and scored a career-high-tying three runs in a narrow 5-4 loss to Texas. Castro and the Astros bounced back in a Friday night tilt against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays as the 2013 All-Star notched his first triple of the season and caught a speedy Rajai Davis on a first-inning stolen base attempt in a 12-4 victory at Minute Maid Park. The win halted a four-game losing streak for Houston. On Saturday, the Stanford University product went a perfect 3-for-3 with a walk, a double, two home runs, three RBI and three runs scored to lead the Astros to an 8-5 triumph over the Blue Jays. It was Jason's second multi-homer game this year, previously going deep twice on May 25th against the Oakland Athletics.

On the season, the three-year veteran is batting .278 with 33 doubles, 17 home runs, 51 RBI and 57 runs scored in 111 games. His 17 four-baggers have tied John Bateman (1966) for the single-season franchise record for homers by a player whose primary position is catcher, with two of those blasts coming in the designated hitter slot. In addition, his 33 doubles are the most for an Astros catcher in team history and his seven multi-double games this season are tied for the most in the Majors with St. Louis Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter, and the most on the Junior Circuit since Robinson Cano's seven in 2011.

Other noteworthy performances included Oakland's Jarrod Parker (2-0, 1.06 ERA, 1 CG, 17.0 IP, 13 SO); Boston's Jake Peavy (1-0, 1.23 ERA, 1 CG, 14.2 IP, 9 SO) and Dustin Pedroia (.435, 10 H, 4 2B); Chicago's Addison Reed (4 SV); New York's Robinson Cano (.529, 3 HR, 5 RBI); Detroit's Austin Jackson (.429, 12 H, 2 HR, 7 RBI); and Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria (.360, 4 HR, 6 RBI).

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