FERNANDO TATIS JR., FRANKIE MONTAS NAMED PLAYERS OF THE WEEK PRESENTED BY CHEVROLET

Chris Taylor Makes a Game-Ending Throw to Claim Play of the Week

Dynamic shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres has been chosen the National League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet, and starting pitcher Frankie Montas of the Oakland Athletics has been named the American League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet.  The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.

Tatis earned his first career NL Player of the Week Award and is the first Padres winner since his former teammate Manuel Margot for the period ending July 31, 2017.  Fernando became the first Friars infielder to do so since Chase Headley in August 2011.  Montas also claimed his first career weekly award and is the first A’s winner since his teammate Mark Canha last year for the week ending August 26^th. Frankie’s rotation-mate Mike Fiers was the last A’s hurler to accomplish the feat, also doing so last year (May 13^th).

Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (@fernando_tatis21)

• Batted .435 (10-for-23) with seven runs scored, a double, six home runs, nine RBI, two walks, a stolen base, and a 1.261 slugging percentage over six games played.
• Enters play today in the midst of a seven-game hitting streak dating back to August 2^nd, including three multi-hit efforts.
• Clubbed his eighth home run of the season in yesterday’s win over the Arizona D-backs. Became the ninth different player 21 years old-or-younger in Major League history to homer in four consecutive games, and the first since Ronald Acuña Jr. last year (August 6^th-9^th).
• Logged his first multi-homer game of the season on Saturday against Arizona. Has recorded six home runs over his last six games and enters action today tied with Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees for the 2020 Major League lead (8).

Frankie Montas, Oakland Athletics

• Compiled a perfect 2-0 record with 14 strikeouts, four walks, six hits and a 0.64 ERA across 14.0 innings pitched over two starts.
• In Saturday’s outing against the Houston Astros, limited the opposition to just two baserunners on a pair of hits with five punchouts over 7.0 scoreless frames.
• Was the first such outing by an A’s hurler since Fiers tossed 8.0 shutout innings with only two baserunners last year on September 20^th.
• Led by Montas and a strong bullpen, Oakland enters play today with the second-lowest ERA in the AL (2.66), trailing only the Cleveland Indians (2.04). The A’s pace the AL West with a 12-4 (.750) record on the season.

Other noteworthy NL performances last week included outfielder Charlie Blackmon (.560, 7 R, 14 H, 9 RBI) of the Colorado Rockies, who had a superb week with two homers and three doubles while his .560 average and 14 hits paced the Majors; starting pitcher Max Fried (2-0, 0.82 ERA, 11.0 IP, 9 SO) and All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman (.320, 6 R, 6 XBH, 6 RBI) of the Atlanta Braves; shortstop Erik González (.458, 11 H, 3 2B, 8 RBI) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; outfielder Michael Conforto (.348, 4 R, 4 XBH, 5 RBI) of the New York Mets; and Fernado’s teammate, starter Dinelson Lamet (1-0 1.46 ERA, 13 SO, 12.1 IP).

Other noteworthy AL performances for the week included first baseman Mitch Moreland (.417, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 1.417 SLG) of the Boston Red Sox; backstop Salvador Perez (.429, 12 H, 4 2B, 4 RBI) of the Kansas City Royals; outfielders Byron Buxton (.318, 6 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI) and Max Kepler (.292, 5 R, 4 XBH, 8 RBI) of the Minnesota Twins; All-Star outfielder Mike Trout (.280, 5 R, 4 HR, 7 RBI) of the Los Angeles Angels, who homered in his first at-bat following the birth of his son, as well as homering on his 29^th birthday on Friday night; and Frankie’s teammates Matt Chapman (.310, 7 R, 2 2B, 3 HR) and Matt Olson (5 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 7 BB).

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Game-ending throw by Chris Taylor of the Los Angeles Dodgers

August 5^th at SD – Watch It Here

 

Outfielder Chris Taylor of the Los Angeles Dodgers earned his first career Play of the Week honor and is the second consecutive Dodgers outfielder to do so, following his All-Star teammate Mookie Betts.  With one out in the bottom of the ninth inning of a 7-6 game on Wednesday night against San Diego, Taylor caught a flyball in deep left field to get the second out before firing a 93.3 mph throw to cut down Trent Grisham at home plate and seal the Dodgers’ win.  Additional Play of the Week candidates included Alex Verdugo’s clutch home-run robbing catch in the top of the ninth inning of a two-run game; Austin Hays’ diving catch in left-center field; Jake Cave’s leaping catch to prevent a three-run homer; Cavan Biggio’s diving catch while charging in from right field; and Eddy Alvarez’s diving play at second base.