Starting pitcher Johnny Cueto did all he could to keep the White Sox in the thick of the AL Wild Card race, while Cardinals sluggers Paul Goldschmidt and Albert Pujols combined for six homers. For their efforts, they were named the Players of the Week presented by Chevrolet on Monday.

Cueto allowed only one earned run over his two starts last week, spanning an MLB-best 16 2/3 innings. That earned run came during a victory over the AL-leading Astros as Cueto threw eight innings. He then topped himself five days later against the Guardians, finishing one out shy of a complete-game shutout.

Since making his season debut on May 16, Cueto has pitched to a 2.58 ERA through 118 2/3 frames. He has registered 10 consecutive quality starts, and he has completed at least six innings in all but one of his 17 turns through Chicago’s rotation.

Cueto previously won Player of the Week honors while with the Giants in 2016 and with the Reds in '14. He is the first White Sox player to earn this recognition in 2022.

Although Goldschmidt has been doing damage at the plate all year long, last week was one of his best this season. He led all Major Leaguers in batting average (.542), slugging (1.042) and OPS (1.613).

He picked up three hits in three consecutive games from Thursday to Saturday, and he drove in eight runs during that span. He also drilled dingers in back-to-back games against his former team, the D-backs, and helped the Cardinals extend their win streak to seven games entering Monday.

This is the third time this year that Goldschmidt has been recognized as the NL Player of the Week; no one else has accomplished the feat more than twice.

Pujols on Saturday became the first player in MLB history to record four hits and two home runs in a single contest at 42 years old.

The three-time MVP received his 13th career Player of the Week Award and his first since August 2012, his first year with the Los Angeles Angels. Pujols is now tied for fifth all-time in Player of the Week wins, an award that was introduced to the National League in 1973 and American League in '74, trailing only Miguel Cabrera (16), Manny Ramirez (16), Barry Bonds (15) and Hall of Famer Frank Thomas (14).