Beltran collects AL Player of the Week honors
Outfielder slugs first homer in pinstripes en route to 10th weekly award
Yankees outfielder Carlos Beltran has been named the American League Player of the Week after leading the league in total bases and slugging percentage over his last seven games.
It is the fourth career AL Player of the Week honor for Beltran, and the 10th overall weekly honor. He last won on May 14, 2012, while with the Cardinals.
The veteran hit .423 (11-for-26) last week with four doubles, three home runs, six RBIs and seven runs. Beltran led the league with 24 total bases and a .923 slugging percentage. He finished the span tied for first in the AL in hits and doubles, second in average and tied for second in homers and runs.
Beltran went 3-for-3 on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium, with his first homer in pinstripes highlighting the day. He went yard again Saturday, when he doubled, homered, drove in two runs and scored twice in the Yanks' 7-4 win over the division-rival Red Sox. In Sunday's series finale, Beltran had a hand in all three of the Bronx Bombers' runs, as he homered, drove in two and scored in the 3-2 series-clinching win.
It was the first time Beltran has homered in consecutive games since May 28-29 last year. The three-time Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder also made his first appearance in the infield Sunday when he moved to first base in the fifth inning.
Other players honored for their performances this weekend were the White Sox Jose Abreu, Alexei Ramirez and Adam Eaton; Minnesota's Jason Kubel; Oakland's Josh Donaldson; and the Angels' C.J. Wilson.