Harrison named NL Player of the Month
Pirates All-Star led league in extra-base hits, slugging percentage in August
Josh Harrison was named the National League's Player of the Month for August on Wednesday, as the All-Star utility man led the league in extra-base hits with 19 and slugging percentage at a .602 clip.
Harrison hit .347 with an OPS of .976 last month in 28 games. Twelve of his extra-base hits went for doubles, and he added four homers and three triples.
Harrison, who had hits in each of the month's first eight games, is the second Pirates player to win the award this season, joining Andrew McCutchen, who took home the honors for a standout June.
Eventually settling in as the Bucs' everyday third baseman, Harrison totaled nine RBIs in the month, five of which came on Aug. 22 against the Brewers. He also filled up the highlight reel in a 2-1 victory against the Reds on Friday. Harrison made a trio of diving stops at the hot corner and had three hits in the game, the last of which was a game-tying triple that set himself up to be driven home as the deciding run.
Among other players receiving votes for the monthly award were Miami's Giancarlo Stanton, San Francisco's Buster Posey, Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence, Atlanta's Justin Upton, St. Louis' Jon Jay and Adrian Gonzalez of Los Angeles.