J.D., Zim slug way to Player of the Week honors
Major League Baseball recognized last week's top performers Monday, naming the Red Sox's J.D. Martinez and the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman as the American League and National League Players of the Week presented by W.B. Mason.
Martinez has been a catalyst for the red-hot Red Sox all season, and last week was no exception. The Boston slugger batted .464/.531/1.071 (13-for-28) with five doubles, four homers and 11 RBIs. Two of Martinez's homers came in Game 2 of Saturday's doubleheader, including the game-winner in the 6-4 victory.
Martinez entered Monday leading the Majors in home runs (37) and RBIs (104), and he ranks second behind teammate Mookie Betts (.350) in the third Triple Crown category with a .333 batting average.
"I would love him to win the Triple Crown, but if he wins the batting title, that means the other guy got into a slump," Red Sox manager Alex Cora joked Friday. "I like the way it is now, honestly."
This is Martinez's second such award this season after winning for the week of May 20. Teammate Xander Bogaerts also won in July.
• Past winners:AL | NL
Zimmerman, meanwhile, finished the week with a .476/.538/1.048 (10-for-21) slash line, three doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs in seven games. The first baseman earned his award with a big game Saturday against the Cubs, homering twice and driving in six runs as the Nationals won, 9-4, at Wrigley Field.
Zimmernan's been Washington's hottest hitter since coming off the disabled list on July 20, batting .354 with four homers and 18 RBIs in that 15-game span.
"I think since the All-Star break, we've been swinging the bats well and putting some good at-bats together, grinding out at-bats a little better than we were before," Zimmerman said. "Our lineup's getting longer and deeper than it's been all year."
Zimmerman is the fourth Washington player to win the NL Player of the Week award in 2018, joining Mark Reynolds (July 8), Max Scherzer (April 15) and Adam Eaton (April 2).