Angels’ Shohei Ohtani and Mets’ Pete Alonso Named Players of the Week
Last week was a historic one for Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani and Mets slugger Pete Alonso, leading them to be named the Players of the Week in their respective leagues. The announcement was made on Monday, with the awards presented by Chevrolet.
Ohtani’s exceptional performance throughout the week left no doubts about his deserving the accolade. His standout moment came in a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday. In Game 1, Ohtani pitched a one-hit shutout, displaying his prowess on the mound. Not only that, he returned to the field shortly after and hit two home runs in Game 2. The following day, he continued his impressive run by hitting his 39th home run of the season, solidifying his status as the MLB home run leader.
Throughout the week, Ohtani maintained a slugging percentage of .800 in six games. He also reached base in 11 of his last 17 plate appearances. This is Ohtani’s third Player of the Week award this year and his seventh overall in his career.
Meanwhile, Pete Alonso’s power at the plate caught the attention of baseball fans. The Mets slugger hit the most home runs last week, contributing significantly to his team’s victories. Alonso achieved two home runs in the Mets’ win over the Yankees on Tuesday, and he repeated the feat in their game against the Nationals on Friday. Since his major league debut in 2019, Alonso has recorded 17 multi-homer games, with only the Yankees’ Aaron Judge surpassing him in this statistic.
Alonso’s performance also included five RBIs in each of those games, adding up to a remarkable total of 12 runs batted in for the week. He finished the week with an impressive .304/.370/.826 batting line. This marks Alonso’s third time receiving the Player of the Week award, and he becomes the first Mets representative to be honored with the title in 2023.
Additionally, the Cubs’ outfielder Mike Tauchman earned recognition for his brilliant defensive play. Tauchman’s incredible leaping catch over the center field fence robbed the Cardinals’ Alec Burleson of a potential game-winning home run with just two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. This spectacular play earned Tauchman the Play of the Week award.
With their outstanding performances, Ohtani, Alonso, and Tauchman have solidified their positions as key players in their respective teams. Baseball fans eagerly await what more these talented athletes will deliver in the upcoming games.