J.D. Martinez Named American League Player Of The Week
Detroit Tigers outfielder J.D. Martinez has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending July 5th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Martinez batted .458 (11-for-24) with six runs scored, four home runs, a double and 10 RBI over six games to claim his second career AL weekly honor, last winning with the Tigers on June 22, 2014. J.D. paced the Majors in slugging percentage (1.000) and total bases (24), and finished tied for first in home runs. Among AL leaders, the five-year-veteran finished tied for first in on-base percentage (.500), second in RBI, third in batting average, tied for third in hits and tied for fourth in runs scored.
On Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park, the Miami, Florida native went 3-for-6 with two runs scored and his 20th home run of the season. Martinez finished his torrid month of June with 16 runs scored, 11 home runs and 26 RBI. His 11 home runs in June are tied for the third-most in franchise history and are the most since Mickey Tettleton also hit 11 homers in June 1993. In a home tilt with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, the right-handed-hitting outfielder recorded his 22nd home run of the season. The first-inning round tripper was his ninth in a span of 44 at-bats. According to the Elias Sports Buraeu, Martinez is one of four Major Leaguers to hit nine homers in 44-or-fewer at-bats this season, joining Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners, Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals and Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins. Additionally, the former 20th round selection (by the Houston Astros) of the 2009 MLB Draft joins Bobby Higginson (2000) and Marcus Thames (2008) as the only Tigers players over the last 25 years to hit nine homers in a span of 44 at-bats. The 27-year-old slugger has now homered in 10 of his last 12 games and has 13 home runs and 19 RBI in his last 19 games. Martinez enters play today with a home run every 13.1 at-bats and has logged 23 homers overall, which both rank second in the AL. In just 79 games, he has now matched his previous career-high of 23 home runs set during his breakout season in 2014.
Other noteworthy performances last week included Erick Aybar (.478, .826 SLG, 7 R, 5 2B) and Kole Calhoun (.308, 2 HR, 11 RBI, 17 TB) of the Los Angeles Angels; Mookie Betts (.419, 6 R, 4 2B, 22 TB) and Clay Buchholz (2-0, 1.06 ERA, 1 CG, 13 SO) of the Boston Red Sox; Mike Montgomery (2-0, 0.61 ERA, 1 CG, 1 SHO) of the Mariners; Glen Perkins (3 SV, 0.00 ERA, 4 SO, 0 H) of the Minnesota Twins; and Mitch Moreland (.714 SLG, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 20 TB) of the Texas Rangers.
In recognition of his American League Player of the Week Award, J.D. Martinez will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.
