Alvarez, Alonso are top rookies for June
Less than a month into his Major League career, Astros outfielder Yordan Alvarez is already receiving accolades, while Mets first baseman Pete Alonso continues to turn heads in his first MLB campaign.
Alvarez was named the American League Rookie of the Month for June on Wednesday, and Alonso received National League honors for the second time this season.
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Alvarez debuted June 9 and proceeded to go deep in four of his first five games, becoming the fourth player in history to accomplish the feat. Overall, the 22-year-old hit .317/.406/.733 with seven home runs and 21 RBIs over 16 games during the month. Prior to Alvarez, the Astros' most recent Rookie of the Month Award winner was Yuli Gurriel for July 2017.
The 24-year-old Alonso blasted nine more homers in June and set the Mets' rookie record, which was previously held by Darryl Strawberry, with his 27th of the year on June 23. In addition to the nine home runs, the slugger finished the month with eight doubles, 21 RBIs and a .307/.435/.653 slash line in 28 games. Alonso previously won the NL Rookie of the Month Award after producing nine homers with 26 RBIs in March/April.
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Alonso has shown a penchant for hitting monstrous blasts, with a big league-leading 20 home runs of 400-plus feet. He also has demonstrated the ability to hit for power to all fields, slugging 16 of his 28 home runs either straightaway or to the opposite field.