Mark Canha, Anthony Rendon named W.B. Mason Players of the Week
Outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha of the Oakland Athletics has been chosen the W.B. Mason American League Player of the Week and All-Star third baseman Anthony Rendon of the Washington Nationals has been named the W.B. Mason National League Player of the Week. The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.
Canha earned his first career AL Player of the Week Award and joined his teammates Mike Fiers, Marcus Semien and Ramón Laureano as Athletics to claim a weekly award this season. Oakland becomes the first AL team, and second team in the Majors (also Colorado), to garner four Player of the Week awards this season. Rendon received his second career NL Player of the Week Award after previously winning for the week ending July 17, 2017. He is the second Nationals player to take home a weekly award this season, joining All-Star pitcher Max Scherzer.
In recognition of their Player of the Week Awards, Mark Canha and Anthony Rendon will each be awarded a specially engraved watch courtesy of Artinian.
Mark Canha, Oakland Athletics (@bigleaguefoodie)
- Led the AL with a .474 batting average and a 1.158 slugging percentage while posting a .524 on-base percentage with five runs scored, nine hits, a double, four homers, seven RBI, two walks and 22 total bases over five games.
- Recorded at least one RBI in each of his five games played during the week.
- Posted multiple hits in four games, including a 2-for-3 performance with a home run on Tuesday in the first game of a three-game sweep against the AL East-leading Yankees.
- Homered three times over two games against the Bay Area-rival San Francisco Giants this past weekend. His home run on Saturday was his 20th of the season, giving Oakland a franchise-high-tying five players with at least 20 homers on the season (seventh time overall). Also made a terrific running catch into the wall in Saturday’s contest, preserving a scoreless tie in the third.
- Has a career-best 22 home runs on the season following Sunday’s multi-homer performance, and has now hit safely in each of his last nine games, going 16-for-36 (.444) with five home runs, 11 RBI and six multi-hit games during the streak.
- Over 19 games played in August, is batting .370 (27-for-73) with five home runs and 15 RBI.
Anthony Rendon, Washington Nationals (@anthonyrendon_6)
- Paced the NL with a .483 (14-for-29) batting average, .543 on-base percentage, 14 hits and 23 total bases. Added three doubles, two home runs, seven RBI, five walks and a stolen base in his seven games played.
- Collected four hits, including a home run with two RBI and two runs scored, in Washington’s 7-5 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Sunday, helping the Nats to a three-game series sweep.
- Is one home run and six runs shy of becoming the third player in Nationals history (2005-present) to record 30 doubles, 30 homers, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored in a single season. He would join teammate Ryan Zimmerman (2009) and former teammate Bryce Harper (2018) in achieving the feat.
- Is in the midst of a 12-game hitting streak, batting .415 (22-for-53) with five doubles, four homers, 14 RBI and 10 runs scored.
- In 43 games since July 6th, is hitting .368 (63-for-171) with 14 doubles, one triple, nine homers, 44 RBI, 19 walks, two stolen bases, 30 runs scored, a .434 on-base percentage and a .620 slugging percentage.
Other noteworthy AL performances last week included All-Star outfielder Austin Meadows (.345, 4 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI) of the Tampa Bay Rays; 2019 All-Star teammates José Abreu (.385, 2 2B, 2 HR, 11 RBI) and Lucas Giolito (1-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, SHO, 12 SO) of the Chicago White Sox; infielder Jonathan Villar (.333, 5 HR, 6 RBI) of the Baltimore Orioles; rookie Bo Bichette (.407, 2 2B, 3 HR, 5 RBI) of the Toronto Blue Jays; and second baseman Jose Altuve (.417, 2 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 9 R) and closer Roberto Osuna (4 SV, 0.00 ERA, 3.1 IP, 4 SO) of the Houston Astros.
Other noteworthy NL performances were St. Louis Cardinals rookie starter Dakota Hudson (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 12.2 IP, 2 H, 9 SO), who is in the midst of an 18.2-inning scoreless streak, and his teammate Marcell Ozuna (.400, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI); outfielder Nicholas Castellanos (.444, 1 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI) and first baseman Anthony Rizzo (.500, 1 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI) of the Chicago Cubs; Rendon’s teammate, outfielder Juan Soto (.345, 3 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 13 R) of the Nationals; and All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman (.240, 4 HR, 7 RBI) and starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel (2-0, 0.69 ERA, 13.0 IP, 14 SO) of the Atlanta Braves.
PLAY OF THE WEEK
Over-the-Shoulder Catch by J.D. Davis of the New York Mets
August 22__nd vs. CLE – Watch It Here
Outfielder J.D. Davis of the New York Mets earned his first career Play of the Week honor, and the second for the Mets this season, following Marcus Stroman’s award on August 5th. In the top of the fourth inning during Thursday’s game against the Cleveland Indians at Citi Field, Davis robbed Greg Allen of an extra-base hit with an over-the-shoulder grab as he raced back towards the left-field wall. Additional Play of the Week candidates included Jackie Bradley Jr.’s wall-scaling catch; Adeiny Hechavarria’s diving stop and throw from the ground to rob Neil Walker of a hit; Jake Cave’s remarkable leaping catch after a long run into the left-field corner; and Logan Forsythe’s diving stop into foul territory combined with Danny Santana’s scoop at first base to nab Leury García.