Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon has been named the National League Player of the Week for the period ending May 28th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Blackmon hit .400 (12-for-30) with three home runs, 12 RBI, six runs scored, a double, one triple and a stolen base over seven games to earn his fifth career NL Player of the Week Award, last winning on August 14, 2016. Among NL leaders, Charlie finished the week first in RBI; tied for first in triples and total bases (24); tied for third in runs scored, hits and extra-base hits (5); tied for fourth in home runs; fifth in slugging percentage (.800); tied for eighth in stolen bases; and ninth in batting average. This is Colorado's first weekly award since Blackmon's most recent honor last season.
On May 23rd against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, Blackmon went 2-for-4 with a pair of two-run home runs, his first multi-homer game of the 2017 campaign. The four-RBI output gave him a Major League-leading 40 RBI on the season (47 games). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it is the fewest number of team games for a player to accumulate 40 RBI from the leadoff spot since Major League Baseball began recording RBI in 1920. The record of 52 team games was previously held by a couple of American Leaguers: Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers in 2009 and Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox in 2016. In Friday night's home tilt against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field, the 2014 NL All-Star went 4-for-4 with three RBI, finishing a double shy of the cycle. It was Charlie's 14th time in his career with four-or-more hits, last accomplishing the feat on October 2nd of last season against the Milwaukee Brewers. Over a 13-game span from May 12th-26th, Colorado's second round selection in the 2008 MLB Draft recorded a hit in 12 games, 10 of which were multi-hit efforts. The dynamic center fielder slashed .456/.475/.772 with 15 runs scored, two doubles, a pair of triples, four home runs, 18 RBI and two stolen bases during his torrid stretch. Entering play today, Blackmon paces the Majors in hits (71), triples (7), RBI (46) and total bases (135), while trailing only Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels in extra-base hits (31).
Third baseman Anthony Rendon (.429, 3 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI) of the Washington Nationals also posted an excellent week. The sixth overall selection in the 2011 MLB Draft (by Washington) slashed .500/.500/1.583 with five runs scored, a double, four home runs and nine RBI during a three-game stretch from May 23rd-25th, homering in three consecutive games for the first time in his five-year career. Rendon's teammate, starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, was dominant in his lone start last week, tossing 7.0 shutout innings, while striking out 15 batters and permitting just three hits and one walk. With the impressive outing, the two-time NL All-Star (2012, 16) delivered his third start of the 2017 campaign with 10-or-more strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 2.94 on the season. First baseman Lucas Duda (.435/1.000/.519, 7 XBH, 9 RBI) of the New York Mets enters play today in the midst of a five-game hitting streak. New York's slugging first baseman registered four multi-hit efforts during his excellent week at the plate, and drove in a run in five of his six contests. Other noteworthy performances last week included outfielder Adam Duvall (.360, 6 R, 4 HR, 11 RBI) of the Cincinnati Reds; Jordy Mercer (.444, 12 H, 5 XBH, 6 RBI) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; and Anthony Rizzo (.320, 4 HR, 6 RBI, 21 TB) of the Chicago Cubs.
In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Charlie Blackmon will be awarded a watch courtesy of Rockwell.