Lowe, Murphy awarded for post-break power
The Rays’ Nate Lowe and the Rockies’ Daniel Murphy started the second half by earning the American League and National League Player of the Week Awards presented by W.B. Mason for their outstanding performances in the first series coming out of the All-Star break, MLB announced Monday.
This is Lowe's first Player of the Week Award and Murphy's second. Murphy previously won the award while playing for the Mets in 2013.
Lowe, 24, hit .471/.500/1.059 (8-for-17) with three homers, a double, six runs scored, seven RBIs and a walk in four games against the Orioles this weekend. He did most of his damage in the second game of Saturday’s doubleheader, homering twice and driving in four runs in Tampa Bay’s 12-4 victory at Camden Yards.
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The rookie first baseman is the second Rays player to take home the AL honor this season, joining Austin Meadows (April 14).
In three games against the Reds at Coors Field, Murphy hit .667/.692/1.417 (8-for-12) with two homers, three doubles, five RBIs and a walk. The 34-year-old infielder's game-tying home run in the eighth inning Friday -- his first at home this season -- sparked a Rockies comeback that ended the team’s six-game losing streak and got Colorado back to .500.
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Murphy is the fourth Rockies player to win NL Player of the Week in 2019, joining Charlie Blackmon (June 16), Trevor Story (June 2) and Nolan Arenado (May 26).