Starting pitcher Joe Musgrove of the San Diego Padres, who tossed the first no-hitter in franchise history on Friday, has been chosen the National League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet, and All-Star outfielder/designated hitter J.D. Martinez of the Boston Red Sox has been named the American League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet. The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.

Musgrove earned his first career NL Player of the Week Award, and is the second consecutive Padres winner, following his All-Star teammate Eric Hosmer. This marks the first time that a Club began a season with two consecutive different winners since J.T. Realmuto and Marcell Ozuna of the Miami Marlins in 2017. Martinez claimed his ninth career weekly award and his seventh in the American League, most recently winning a pair during the 2018 season for the AL Pennant-winning Red Sox. J.D. is just the third active player in the Majors to collect at least nine Player of the Week awards, joining fellow All-Stars Albert Pujols (12) and Justin Verlander (9).

Joe Musgrove, San Diego Padres (@mu59rove)

• Tossed his first career no-hitter on Friday night against the Texas Rangers, hitting one batter while tallying 10 punchouts and not surrendering a walk. Prior to Friday, the Padres had been the only active MLB team to have never thrown a no-hitter.
• According to the Elias Sports Bureau, became the fifth pitcher in MLB history to miss out on a perfect game because of a hit batsman, joining Hooks Wiltse (1908), Lew Burdette (1960), Kevin Brown (1997) and Max Scherzer (2015).
• Became the eighth pitcher in the modern era to record a no-hitter in one of his first two starts with a team, and the first since Clay Buchholz on September 1, 2007 in his second start for the Red Sox.
• A native of El Cajon, California, Joe became the sixth pitcher since 1900 to log a no-hitter for a team where he was born, joining Jered Weaver (LAA), Kevin Gross (LAD), Terry Mulholland (PHI), Dave Stewart (OAK) and Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan (TEX).

J.D. Martinez, Boston Red Sox (@jdmartinez28)

• Posted a slash line of .458/.500/1.125 with eight runs scored, 11 hits, four doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI over eight games played.
• Tied a franchise record with three home runs in yesterday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the 25th different player to accomplish the feat for the Red Sox.
• Entering play today, paced the Majors with 12 extra-base hits on the season, the most ever by an American Leaguer through his first eight games of a season.
• Has recorded an extra-base hit in each of his first eight games played this season, becoming just the third player in the Majors since at least 1901 to start a season in that fashion, joining Alex Rodriguez (eight straight in 2007), Sandy Alomar Jr. (eight straight in 1997).
• Also leads Baseball with 16 RBI on the season, which matches Shea Hillenbrand (2003) for the most ever by a Red Sox player in the Club’s first nine games of a season.

Other noteworthy NL performances for the week included All-Star outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (.583, 8 R, 4 2B, 4 HR, 8 RBI) of the Atlanta Braves; outfielder Tyler Naquin (.304, 5 R, 4 HR, 9 RBI) of the Cincinnati Reds; infielder Eduardo Escobar (.308, 8 R, 4 HR, 8 RBI) of the Arizona Diamondbacks; All-Star starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw (2-0, 0.69 ERA, 14 SO, 0 BB) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; closer Jake McGee (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 3 SV) of the San Francisco Giants; All-Star backstop Yadier Molina (.429, 6 R, 9 H, 5 RBI) of the St. Louis Cardinals; and Musgrove’s All-Star teammate Mark Melancon (4 G, 0.00 ERA, 3 SV).

Other noteworthy AL performances last week included dynamic outfielder Byron Buxton (.526, 10 H, 3 2B, 3 HR) and All-Star designated hitter Nelson Cruz (.440, 9 R, 4 HR, 9 RBI) of the Minnesota Twins; starting pitcher Steven Matz (2-0, 1.46 ERA,12.1 IP, 13 SO) of the Toronto Blue Jays; All-Star outfielder Mike Trout (.471, 5 R, 5 XBH, 4 RBI) of the Los Angeles Angels; All-Star backstop Wilson Ramos (.313, 5 R, 4 HR, 4 RBI) of the Detroit Tigers; outfielder Franmil Reyes (.421, 8 H, 2 2B, 3 HR) of the Cleveland Indians; All-Star third baseman Kyle Seager (.348, 8 H, 2 HR, 8 RBI) of the Seattle Mariners; All-Star starter Gerrit Cole (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 13 SO, 0 BB) of the New York Yankees; and J.D.’s teammates Rafael Devers (.308, 6 R, 4 HR, 10 RBI) and Christian Vázquez (.370, 7 R, 10 H, 4 XBH).

PLAY OF THE WEEK

Diving Catch by Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays

April 5 at BOS – Watch It Here

Rookie outfielder Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays earned his first career Play of the Week award, and is the first Rays player to accomplish the feat since the award was introduced in 2019. With no outs in the bottom of the fourth inning of Monday’s tilt against the Red Sox, the 2020 ALCS MVP ranged to deep right-center field before making a fully extended diving catch to take away an extra-base hit from Hunter Renfroe. Additional Play of the Week candidates included Cedric Mullins’ impressive range and diving catch in shallow left-center field; Josh Fuentes’ snag and throw across the diamond from the hot corner; Anthony Santander’s perfect throw home to nab Gio Urshela for a game-ending double play in extra innings; and Jackie Bradley Jr.’s leaping catch at the wall to prevent an extra-base hit.