Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon has been named National League Player of the Week for the period ending August 14th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
In seven games last week, Blackmon led the Majors with seven home runs, 13 runs scored, 18 hits, a 1.313 slugging percentage and 42 total bases, while also tying for first with a .563 (18-for-32) batting average. The left-handed-hitting slugger paced the NL with nine RBI and posted the League's highest on-base percentage (.600).
Blackmon homered twice in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, giving him five home runs in the three-game series between the two clubs after he had hit three in a losing effort on Friday. The five-homer series tied a club record for home runs in a series (also: Todd Helton, 1999 vs. Montreal), and marked the first time that a player had hit as many home runs during a single series played at Citizens Bank Park (Elias Sports Bureau). Nine others, including Chase Utley (twice) and Jayson Werth (twice), have hit four home runs during a single series at the ballpark, which opened in 2004. Friday's three-homer performance was a career-high for the 30-year-old Blackmon, who is currently in his sixth season in the Majors. On the second pitch of Thursday's game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park, the Texas native clubbed his Major League-leading eighth leadoff homer of the season, setting the tone for an eventual 12-9 victory. It was his second leadoff homer of the week after breaking his own single-season team record of six leadoff homers in his first atbat in Tuesday's 7-5 loss to the Rangers at Coors Field. The 2014 NL All-Star's 20 career leadoff homers are a Rockies' franchise record. His 20 home runs as a leadoff hitter are the most in the NL this year, while his .324 batting average ranks fifth among qualifying NL hitters. This is his fourth career Player of the Week Award and second this season, having won previously for the weeks ending June 26, 2016; April 6, 2014; and September 22, 2013.
Other noteworthy performances last week included Milwaukee's Ryan Braun (.435, 6 R, 10 H, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 1.043 SLG, .480 OBP); Atlanta's Freddie Freeman (.455, 8 R, 10 H, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 1.136 SLG, .594 OBP); Corey Seager (.462, 12 H, 2 HR, 4 RBI, .481 OBP) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; Cincinnati's Joey Votto (.500, 13 H, HR, 7 RBI, .536 OBP); Pittsburgh's Chad Kuhl (2-0, 3.00 ERA, 9 SO, 12.0 IP); and Chicago's John Lackey (1-0, 0.61 ERA, 11 SO, 14.1 IP).
In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Charlie Blackmon will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.