Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending July 2nd. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Betts batted .483 (14-for-29) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI and three stolen bases to earn his third career AL Player of the Week Award, most recently winning earlier this season for the period ending May 14th. Among AL leaders, Mookie finished the week first in hits and RBI; tied for first in total bases (25); second in batting average and runs scored; tied for second in on-base percentage (.556); tied for third in extra-base hits (5) and stolen bases; tied for fourth in home runs; and fifth in slugging percentage (.862). The 2017 AL All-Star became the first American Leaguer to garner multiple weekly honors this season, and the second in the Majors along with fellow 2017 All-Star Cody Bellinger of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
During Mookie's award-winning week, the 24-year-old outfielder notched five multi-hit games, culminating with his historic performance on Sunday afternoon. In his final game of the week against the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park, Betts went 4-for-6 with three runs scored, a pair of home runs and eight RBI. The Nashville, Tennessee native matched the Major League record for RBI in a game by a leadoff hitter, and became the first player to accomplish the feat since Ronnie Belliard of the Colorado Rockies in 2003. Only three other Major Leaguers have tallied eight RBI in a contest out of the leadoff spot: Jim Northrup of the Detroit Tigers (1973), Bill Glynn of the Cleveland Indians (1954) and Augie Bergamo of the St. Louis Cardinals (1954). In addition, Sunday marked Mookie's second multi-home run game of the 2017 campaign (also June 14th), and the ninth of his four-year career. Boston's dynamic outfielder joined Hall of Famer Jim Rice (12) as the only players in team history to post at least nine multi-homer games before turning 25 years old. Betts, who also reached the eight-RBI mark last season (August 14th), joined Nomar Garciaparra as the only players in Red Sox history to register two eight-RBI games in their careers. In addition, he joined All-Star teammate Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners as the only active players in the Majors to record a pair of such games in their careers.
Starting pitcher Ricky Nolasco (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 CG SHO, 12 SO) of the Los Angeles Angels tossed his sixth career shutout and 12th career complete game on July 1st against the Mariners, logging back-to-back scoreless starts for the fifth time in his career. Shortstop Carlos Correa (.500, 5 XBH, 10 RBI) of the Houston Astros logged the fourth multi-homer game of his career on June 29th against the Oakland Athletics. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 2017 AL All-Star established a new Astros record for the most multi-homer games at the shortstop position. Other noteworthy performances included Mookie's Boston teammate Chris Sale (2-0, 0.68 ERA, 13.1 IP, 20 SO), who was also selected to the 2017 Midsummer Classic; All-Star third baseman José Ramírez (.357, 11 R, 5 XBH, 7 RBI) of the Cleveland Indians; and shortstop Elvis Andrus (.400, 7 R, 4 HR, 9 RBI) of the Texas Rangers, who is an AL candidate for the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote.
In recognition of his American League Player of the Week Award, Mookie Betts will be awarded a watch courtesy of Rockwell.