D-backs second baseman Ketel Marte and Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras each took home Player of the Week honors in their respective leagues on Tuesday.
An All-MLB First Team member in each of the last two seasons, Marte began the 2026 campaign marred in a deep slump, posting a .619 OPS throughout his first 41 games. But he roared back to life in a big way this past week for the surging D-backs, who are a season-high five games above the .500 mark.
In a seven-game span from May 18-24, Marte hit .536 with a 1.563 OPS, smashing seven extra-base hits and recording 12 RBIs -- just three fewer than his RBI total from his first 41 games. The three-time All-Star, who did not have a single three-hit game prior to last week, tallied three such games as part of his big week.
Marte also ushered Arizona to a 6-1 record in that span. One of those victories came via his first career walk-off homer, a three-run shot to sink the Giants.
In the American League, Contreras continues to be a bright spot in the middle of a scuffling Red Sox lineup. In six games from May 18-24, he hit .458 (11-for-24) with a 1.355 OPS, notching four extra-base hits and eight RBIs. On the season, his 157 OPS+ ranked 10th highest in MLB entering play on Tuesday.
This is the second time that Marte and Contreras have won a Player of the Week Award. Marte was named the NL Player of the Week for the first time in September 2019, while Contreras last captured a Player of the Week honor in August 2017 with the Cubs.
Meanwhile, the Play of the Week honor went to Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner, whose between-the-legs flip was apparently years in the making. In the fifth inning of Saturday’s game at Wrigley Field, Hoerner charged to field a drag bunt off the bat of Astros catcher César Salazar. Hoerner grabbed the baseball on the run with his bare hand before flipping it through his legs to first baseman Michael Busch for the out.
Hoerner is one of the game’s elite defenders, ranking in the 99th percentile in MLB with +8 outs above average. His latest feat may be his best yet.