Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending August 14th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Correa batted .429 (12-for-28) with six runs scored, three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI over seven games to claim his second career AL Player of the Week Award, last winning earlier this season on June 26th. Among AL leaders, Correa finished the period first in RBI and total bases (24); tied for second in home runs and extra-base hits (6); tied for third in hits; was fifth in slugging percentage (.857); and was ninth in batting average.
Correa launched his 15th home run on Tuesday to go along with a career-high-tying four RBI. The Puerto Rico Baseball Academy graduate became just the second shortstop in Major League history to log more than 25 doubles, 15 home runs and 50 walks in a season prior to turning 22 years old. Alex Rodriguez accomplished the feat for the Seattle Mariners in 1996 during his age-20 season by recording 54 doubles, 36 home runs and 59 walks. In Thursday's double-header against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field, Carlos homered in both games, combining to go 4-for-8 with two round-trippers and four RBI. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Correa became the second Astros player at age-21 to homer in both games of a double-header, joining Rusty Staub, who did so on September 19, 1965. Additionally, Houston's slugging shortstop homered in a career-long three consecutive games, joining Jed Lowrie (2012), Adujar Cedeno (1994, 1993), and Craig Reynolds (1981) as the fourth shortstop in club history to homer in three straight contests. On Sunday against the Toronto Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre, the first overall pick of the 2012 MLB Draft went 3-for-4 with a run scored, extending his active hitting streak to a career-best 10 games. During his hot stretch, the 2015 AL Rookie of the Year is batting .395 (15-for-38) with seven runs scored, four doubles, three homers and 14 RBI. Entering play today, Correa paces AL shortstops in doubles (29), RBI (82) and on-base percentage (.370).
Other noteworthy performances last week included Correa's teammate George Springer (.385, 8 R, 5 2B, 8 RBI); Mookie Betts (.364, 5 R, 3 HR, 10 RBI) and Rick Porcello (2-0, 1.80 ERA, 15.0 IP, 10 SO) of the Boston Red Sox; Adrian Beltre (.519, 14 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI) of the Texas Rangers; Jose Ramirez (.480, 9 R, 4 2B, 6 SB) of the Cleveland Indians; Evan Longoria (.435, 5 R, 3 2B, 9 RBI) of the Tampa Bay Rays; and Michael Fulmer (1.13 ERA, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 15 SO) of the Detroit Tigers.
In recognition of his American League Player of the Week Award, Carlos Correa will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.