Joey Votto of the Cincinnati Reds named National League Player of the Week

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto has been named National League Player of the Week for the period ending May 19th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

In six games last week, Votto led the Majors with a .583 batting average (14-for-24) and a .655 on-base percentage. The three-time N.L. All-Star ranked among league leaders with a .917 slugging percentage (2nd), 14 hits (T-2nd), 22 total bases (3rd) and seven runs scored (T-3rd) while clubbing two home runs with five RBI. Votto had five multi-hit performances last week and extended his current hitting streak to eight games as the Reds posted a 4-2 record for the week. On Saturday, the 29-year-old paced Cincinnati's offense, reaching base six times in six plate appearances. Votto went 4-for-4 with two walks, a double, a home run and two RBI in a 10-0 rout of the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The 2010 N.L. MVP went 2-for-4 in Friday night's matchup between the two clubs, including a game-tying homer in the eighth inning of an eventual 5-3 loss. Votto opened his stellar week with a 3-for-4 effort in a 6-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Tuesday. In addition to his three hits, the Canadian-born slugger drew a based-loaded walk that plated the Reds' second run of the contest. Votto currently leads the Majors with a .473 on-base percentage, having reached base a Major League-best 98 times. His 37 walks are also the most in the Majors while his .349 average ranks second in the Senior Circuit. This is his third career weekly award, having previously won August 21-27, 2009 and, most recently, July 25-31, 2011.

Other noteworthy performances last week included Votto's Cincinnati teammate Homer Bailey (1-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, 13 SO, 16.0 IP); Milwaukee's Norichika Aoki (.533, 16 H, 3 2B, 3 RBI, .633 SLG, .576 OBP); Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt (.500, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 12 H, 5 2B, 1.083 SLG) and Brandon McCarthy (1-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, SHO, 9.0 IP, 5 SO); Washington's Adam LaRoche (.308, 4 HR, 10 RBI, 4 R, .769 SLG); Daniel Murphy (.500, 14 H, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .857 SLG) of the New York Mets; San Francisco's Marco Scutaro (.500, 11 H, 4 R, .542 OBP); Washington's Ryan Zimmerman (.385, 2 HR, 9 RBI, 10 H, .448 OBP); Clayton Kershaw (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 11 SO, 8.2 IP) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; and Edward Mujica (0-0, 4 SV, 0.00 ERA, 5.0 IP, 4 SO) of the St. Louis Cardinals.

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