Scorching Margot, Tellez nab weekly league honors

Rays outfielder Manuel Margot and Brewers first baseman Rowdy Tellez each drove in 12 runs last week. That’s just one reason why they were named Players of the Week presented by Chevrolet on Monday.

Margot twice lived up to the nickname bestowed upon him by teammates -- “Manny Mar-go-ahead” -- during the week. He capped the Rays’ sweep of the A’s with a tiebreaking, two-run single in the eighth inning Wednesday. Two days later, he drilled a go-ahead, three-run homer in the ninth inning to catapult Tampa Bay to victory over the Mariners.

Margot, who already has three go-ahead hits in the eighth inning or later this season, went deep in each of the three games against Seattle and finished the week with a .500 average (12-for-24) and an MLB-best 1.580 OPS. He tallied seven runs, six extra-base hits and two steals to go along with those dozen RBIs.

He is the first Ray to win Player of the Week since Brandon Lowe in August 2020.

Most of Tellez’s run production came during one historic night to remember. His eight RBIs versus the Reds on Wednesday set a Brewers franchise record and were part of a four-hit performance that included two home runs.

But Tellez’s punishment of the baseball spanned more than just one game. He also went deep on Tuesday, clocked two doubles Thursday and recorded a two-run double Friday – all of which came in Brewers wins.

Tellez batted .321 for the week, and seven of his nine hits went for extra bases. The Crew now have back-to-back NL Player of the Week honorees as Tellez follows Willy Adames, who won for his efforts during the week of April 25. They are the first teammates to accomplish that feat since Cardinals outfielders Tyler O’Neill and Harrison Bader did so last September.