Yelich, Beckham snag first POTW honors for '19
MLB announced the first Players of the Week presented by W.B. Mason of the 2019 season on Monday. The Brewers' Christian Yelich was named the National League Player of the Week, and the Mariners' Tim Beckham was named the American League Player of the Week.
It's no surprise that Yelich took home the honors in the NL. The league's reigning Most Valuable Player Award winner started his title defense by homering in each of Milwaukee's first four games -- tying the Major League record for most consecutive games with a home run to open the season.
The only other players to homer in each of their team's first four games of the year are Trevor Story (2016), Chris Davis ('13), Nelson Cruz ('11), Mark McGwire (1998) and Willie Mays ('71).
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Yelich capped his week by ripping a walk-off double off a 101.8 mph Jordan Hicks sinker to give the Brewers a 5-4 win over the NL Central rival Cardinals on Sunday. The 27-year-old enters play Monday tied for the MLB lead in home runs (four), tied for the NL lead in RBIs (eight), leading the NL in walks (six) and leading the Majors in slugging (1.583) and OPS (2.250).
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Beckham's great start to the season began in Japan. He went 5-for-7 in the Mariners' two-game sweep of the A's at the Tokyo Dome, with a home run, a double, two walks, two RBIs and four runs scored. The 29-year-old shortstop followed that with a two-homer game in Seattle's home opener stateside on Thursday.
Beckham ended the first week of the season hitting .435 with three home runs and a 1.432 OPS. He's tied for the Major League lead with 10 hits and eight runs scored.
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This is Yelich's fourth career Player of the Week Award after he won it three times during last season. It's Beckham's second, after he also won for the first week of August in 2017.