CHICAGO – Chicago White Sox designated hitter Yermín Mercedes has been named American League Player of the Week for the period of April 1-4, his first career weekly honor.

Mercedes, 28, went 9-14 (.643) with two doubles, a home run, six RBI, two runs scored and a 1.643 OPS in three games last week. He became the first player in major-league history to start a season with eight consecutive hits, breaking the previous mark set by Cincinnati’s Chris Stynes (seven) in 2007 (Elias). Mercedes went 5-5 with a double and four RBI on Friday night at the Los Angeles Angels and began Saturday’s game at Angel Stadium with three consecutive hits, including his first career home run.

Mercedes on Friday also became the first player in major-league history to go 5-5 in his first career start, and joined Washington’s Cecil Travis (5-7 on 5/16/33 vs. Cleveland) as the only players in the modern era (since 1900) to record five hits in his first career start. He is the first designated hitter in White Sox history to record a five-hit effort.

This marks the White Sox first weekly honor since Lucas Giolito in August 2020, and the first for a position player since José Abreu in August 2020. The last Sox rookie to earn a weekly honor was Eloy Jiménez in September 2019.