Latest news with #ALPlayeroftheWeek
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
CONFIRMED: Rafael Devers and Freddie Freeman become MLB Players of the Week
CONFIRMED: Rafael Devers and Freddie Freeman become MLB Players of the Week (Image Source: Getty) The MLB Players of the Week results are out, and it is quite shocking, as one of the players was the center of controversy this week. However, the results clearly indicate that the honors are given based on how the players have performed and not on the basis of the controversies they were a part of. Who won the Players of the Week? It's none other than Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox and Freddie Freeman from the Los Angeles Dodgers . Rafael Devers' performance this week Despite being a part of the recent controversy related to switching positions in the team, Devers has managed to keep his performance intact, which showed when MLB announced him as the AL Player of the Week. In the past week alone, Devers went 10-21, hit 2 home runs, 8 RBIs, and managed to up his OPS to 1.386. Devers currently plays as the designated hitter for the Boston Red Sox and has managed to perform far better than when he was playing third base. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Cinnamon: The Hidden Blood Sugar Enemy? Try This Tonight! Cinnamon Help Learn More Undo The past 15 games, when Devers was dealing with off-field drama, he managed to score 5 home runs, 5 doubles, 17 RBI, and had 1.277 OPS. His batting average went to .424, and he's currently in the same hitting zone. Freddie Freeman as the NL Player of the Week Freddie Freeman managed to take the NL Player of the Week title through his brilliant on-field performance. In the past week, Freeman went 14-28, scored 3 home runs, 12 RBIs, and had a 1.500 OPS, which is quite remarkable. His performance on the Mother's day was exceptionally well, as he went 4-for-4, with 2 doubles, and a home run, which increased his batting average to .376. His OPS till May 11, 2025 was 1.171, which helped increase his weekly OPS. What's remarkable about the Dodgers' star player is that, despite playing for 16 seasons in MLB, he is one of the strongest and most reliable player of his team. Moreover, his dedication towards the game can be clearly seen through the way he performs directly after getting physiotherapy for his injured ankle. The Players of the Week announcement by MLB made it clear that it keeps players' performances above all controversies and knows how to honor the best ones in the field. Also Read: 'He's probably the best DH' - Red Sox manager Alex Cora praises Rafael Devers amidst 1B controversy in franchise
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rafael Devers named AL Player of the Week amid first base drama
Rafael Devers named AL Player of the Week amid first base drama originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston Boston Red Sox designated hitter Rafael Devers' wild week ended with a reminder that he remains one of MLB's premier sluggers. Advertisement On Monday, Devers was named the American League Player of the Week. The three-time All-Star has gone 10-for-21 at the plate with two home runs, eight RBI, and a 1.386 OPS over the last seven days. Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman earned the honor in the National League. Devers capped off his red-hot week by going 6-for-7 with a homer and five RBI over the last two games of Boston's series in Kansas City. That Royals series started with Devers making headlines for his words rather than his bat. After the team's series finale against Texas at Fenway Park, the 28-year-old called out the Red Sox front office for asking him to move to first base in the wake of Triston Casas' season-ending injury. His comments prompted team owner John Henry and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow to travel to Kansas City to meet with their disgruntled star. Advertisement While the plan is to keep Devers at DH for the foreseeable future, Breslow and manager Alex Cora have left the door open for Devers to make the switch. The club has yet to find a permanent solution for the void at first base. After taking two out of three against the Royals, the Red Sox will begin a three-game set in Detroit on Monday night.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene named American League Player of the Week
The Detroit Tigers currently have one of the best offenses in baseball, and Riley Greene is a big reason why. The outfielder, who had been slumping for much of the season, broke out offensively over the Tigers' last two series against the Houston Astros and Los Angeles Angels, and has been named the American League Player of the Week for his play. Advertisement Over his last seven games, Greene is slashing .464/.500/.893, good for a 1.393 OPS, with four home runs and eight RBI in 30 plate appearances. On May 3, Greene became the first player in MLB history to hit two home runs in the ninth inning of a game in the Tigers' 9-1 win over the Angels. Greene was also the first Tiger since Magglio Ordóñez in 2007 to hit two home runs in the same inning. Before the series against Houston, Greene was hitting just .224 with four total home runs in 114 plate appearances. Since then, the 2024 All-Star has doubled his home run total and raised his season slash line to .274/.319/.489. Advertisement He's now fifth on the team among Tigers regulars with a .808 OPS, behind Spencer Torkelson (.889), Kerry Carpenter (.870), Javier Báez (.829) and Gleyber Torres (.826). He finished second on the team with an .827 OPS in 2024. The Tigers (22-13) currently have the best record in the AL and hold a 1½ game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene named AL Player of the Week
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mariners surge into first place of AL West despite key injuries to Gilbert, Moore
The injuries continue to mount and the roster turnover continues to churn — but the Seattle Mariners just keep winning. Shortstop J.P. Crawford's go-ahead, two-RBI single sparked a six-run seventh inning, and the Mariners emerged late to sweep the rival Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday, 9-3. Seattle won its seventh consecutive series, and they'll enter May with a glaring positive: One of the league's worst offenses in 2024 has surged to the top. A simple, winning formula is working wonders in Seattle. Adequate run support has lessened the need for elite pitching on a nightly basis, allowing All-Star closer Andres Munoz to enter the ninth inning and mow down opponents in order. They're without All-Star starting pitchers Logan Gilbert and George Kirby. They're without OF Victor Robles and INF Ryan Bliss, and the injury bug snowballed when the Mariners placed OF Luke Raley (right oblique strain) and Gold Glove utilityman Dylan Moore (right hip inflammation) on the 10-day injured list earlier this week. Don't tell the offense: The Mariners' .751 OPS (on base plus slugging) this season ranks sixth in MLB entering Wednesday's finale, and their 4.9 runs per game ranks eighth despite four sidelined hitters. Among MLB clubs, the Mariners rank third in home runs (45), third in on-base percentage (.337), and first in walks (131). 'I think the approach of staying in the middle helps,' Jorge Polanco said, who closed his stance and widened the distance between feet in the batter's box for a cleaner, simpler swing this offseason. 'When I go to the middle, I think it'll help you pull the ball without trying to pull the ball.' Polanco homered twice in Tuesday's opener with the Angels and plated all five Mariners runs, a one-man wrecking crew atop several AL hitting leaderboards. The reigning AL Player of the Week is slugging .819 this month with nine home runs and 25 RBI, becoming the first Mariner with two multi-homer games in April since Nelson 'Boomstick' Cruz achieved the feat in 2015. 'He's pulled the ball for power, and he's been able to get a lot of balls out front, whether it's a fastball or breaking ball,' Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. 'He's just in a state where he's seeing the ball really well. He's getting the barrel to it every time, and he's really locked in. It's been big for us during this stretch, for sure.' And 'Polo' agrees. 'Really good stretch,' Polanco said. 'Really fun. 'I think this is the best I've felt.' The Mariners are 14-4 over their last 18 games, the best record in MLB over that span. Wednesday's win lifted the Mariners (18-12) two games ahead of the AL West after the second-place Houston Astros fell to Detroit, 7-4. Seattle sports a 74 percent chance to make the playoffs, per FanGraphs, and a 46.3 percent chance to win the AL West. Logan Evans soaked up Saturday like a sponge. For the very first time, Seattle's top pitching prospect entered T-Mobile Park's home clubhouse in the flesh and took in views from the field and dugout — an experience he purposefully waited until the weekend for. Perhaps selfishly, Evans admitted, he wanted the weekend to be his moment – not anyone else's. 'Breathtaking,' Evans told reporters of the atmosphere. 'I've played it in (the video game MLB) The Show. I've watched all of the games, for sure, but it's a lot bigger and much nicer than I anticipated. It's really cool. 'I didn't want to experience it any other way.' Just hours earlier, the Mariners promoted their top minor-league arm and No. 10 overall prospect to the majors. Selected by Seattle in the 12th round of the 2023 MLB Draft, Evans' activation completed a meteoric rise through the minor leagues — rookie and Low-A ball that fall before appearing with Double-A Arkansas in 2024 and starting for Triple-A Tacoma on Opening Day last month. And when the 23-year-old made his MLB debut in Sunday's series finale with the Miami Marlins, Evans picked up right where he left off, delivering five more-than-solid frames in a 7-6 Mariners win. He went five innings, allowing just two hits and two earned runs with three walks and three strikeouts. Miami three-hitter Agustin Ramirez lasered a solo home run to center field in the first inning, but Evans refused to let an early run dampen the biggest day of his career by retiring 10 of his next 12 batters. The Mariners offense pounced for three runs in the second inning and allowed their rookie right-hander to cruise toward his first career win, the cherry on top of a day he'll never forget. 'Solo home runs, they're not going to kill you,' Evans said Sunday. 'After we had the big (second) inning, J.P. and Julio both were just like, 'We got you. Just keep grinding out there.' 'This is awesome,' Evans thought. 'I watch these guys on TV, and they're just supporting me and letting me do my thing.' When the Mariners assigned Evans to Triple-A Tacoma following spring training, they told him to be himself: a strike-thrower with a six-pitch arsenal capable of finishing batters in two-strike counts. He was more of the same Sunday, mixing effectively with few mistakes. He's the 14th pitcher in Mariners history to win his MLB debut and the first since Andrew Moore on June 22, 2017, against the Detroit Tigers. 'I thought he pitched an outstanding ballgame,' manager Dan Wilson said. 'A guy in his debut who seemed very calm, very collected. He was in control of what he was doing the whole game, and I thought he pitched very well for his first time out. 'I don't think you could (tell) it was his first time out, had you not known.' Evans' promotion and subsequent major league contributions couldn't have been more timely. The Mariners are without two All-Stars from their star-studded rotation (Logan Gilbert, George Kirby) and have been carried by the offense, leading the American League in runs scored (78) and OPS (.856) over the last 15 days. A path to October remains in the cards, but the Mariners no longer hold their ace. Seattle placed All-Star pitcher and AL Cy Young Award candidate Logan Gilbert on the 15-day injured list last weekend with a right elbow flexor strain, a gut punch to the league's best starting rotation that will sideline the 27-year-old for multiple weeks and potentially more. Gilbert was through three perfect innings in Friday's series opener with the Miami Marlins, but red flags waved and alarm bells blared when Seattle held their star pitcher out of the fourth. The Mariners quickly announced his exit was due to a right forearm strain before Miami rallied for six runs in the fifth inning of an 8-4 Marlins win. 'I've got a lot of faith,' Gilbert said Friday night. 'God's got a plan. I trust in that. I think it'll be alright. I think it (could've been) a lot worse. We'll see what happens.' Pregame soreness isn't abnormal, but Gilbert's discomfort continued as trainers worked on his right elbow between innings. He presented his case to keep going, but the Mariners refused to risk a bad situation worsening. 'I always want to go back out (on the mound) but they always try to do what's best for us, what's smartest in the long run,' Gilbert said. 'I was just trying to see if I could go back out and throw some warmup pitches and see how I felt, but they didn't think it was a good idea. 'Nothing too crazy concerning. But usually, (the forearm tightness) goes away. It just didn't really go away.' Gilbert underwent additional examination Saturday morning, and an MRI revealed a mild (grade 1) flexor strain, a silver lining for teammates and fans who expected the worst. He won't throw for two weeks following the injury, and the Mariners will re-examine Gilbert sometime around the weekend of May 9-11 to determine next steps in his rehabilitation. 'I think the news is positive in a lot of ways,' Dan Wilson said. 'We'll know more in the days coming, but I'm glad it was only that. 'Knowing the competitor that's inside Logan Gilbert, he's going to be out there as soon as possible.' — Dylan Moore (April 14-20) and Jorge Polanco (April 21-27) are the first Mariners to win back-to-back AL Player of the Week Awards since Alex Rodriguez and Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998. — Nothing but nails: All-Star closer Andres Munoz is tied for an MLB-leading 11 saves this season, still a perfect 11-for-11 in save opportunities. In 15 innings, the triple-digit-throwing right hander owns a 0.00 ERA with five hits, six walks, and 19 strikeouts. — Cal Raleigh is tied with former Mariners teammate Eugenio Suarez (ARI) for an MLB-leading 10 home runs this season. — Randy Arozarena has reached base safely in 25 straight games, a new career-high. The Mariners embark on a six-game divisional road trip with Texas and the Athletics, kicking off a three-game set with the Rangers at Globe Life Field on Friday night. Bryan Woo gets the nod in Seattle's series opener at 5:05 p.m.
