Detroit Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos has been named the American League Player of the Week presented by W.B. Mason for the period ending August 19th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.
Castellanos batted .393 (11-for-28) with eight runs scored, three doubles, two home runs, 10 RBI and five walks across seven games played to earn his first career AL Player of the Week Award. Among qualified AL leaders, Nicholas finished the week first in runs scored and RBI; second in total bases (20); tied for second in hits; tied for third in extra-base hits (5); fourth in batting average; tied for fourth in walks; and sixth in on-base percentage (.485). This is Detroit's first weekly honor of the 2018 campaign, and the first since Nick's former All-Star teammate J.D. Martinez last season for the week ending July 17, 2017.
Castellanos began his award-winning week in grand fashion, batting a perfect 5-for-5 with two runs scored, two doubles, a home run and five RBI in Detroit's 9-5 victory over the Chicago White Sox on August 13th. The 26-year-old became just the third player in franchise history to reach those marks in a single game, joining Hall of Famers Ivan Rodríguez (April 5, 2006) and Charlie Gehringer (May 30, 1932). The outing was the first five-hit game of his career, and his second five-RBI game of the season (also June 16th). Entering play today, the 44th overall selection of the 2010 MLB Draft has tallied at least one walk and run scored in each of his previous five games (August 15th-19th). The Florida native is the first Tiger to post such a streak since Luis Gonzalez logged a six-game streak from August 29-September 2, 1998. On the season, Castellanos is batting .290 (139-for-480) with 34 doubles, 18 home runs and 69 RBI. Across the Majors, Nicholas is joined by All-Stars Francisco Lindor, Trevor Story and Freddie Freeman as the only players thus far to reach those totals with a batting average of .290-or-better.
Rookie third baseman Miguel Andújar (.379, 5 2B, 3 HR, 9 RBI) also posted a strong week for the New York Yankees. On Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays, Andújar went 3-for-5 with a double and his 20th home run of the season, becoming the eighth rookie in franchise history to reach the 20-homer mark in a season. With 36 doubles on the season, the Dominican Republic native is tied for Earle Combs (1925) for the fourth-most doubles by a rookie in Club history, trailing Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio (44, 1936), Hideki Matsui (42, 2003) and Bob Meusel (40, 1920). Other noteworthy performances last week included starting pitcher Brad Keller (2-0, 1.50 ERA, 12.0 IP, 9 SO) and second baseman Whit Merrifield (.429, 12 H, 6 RBI, 2 SB) of the Kansas City Royals; relief pitcher José Leclerc (4 G, 4 SV, 0.00 ERA, 8 SO) of the Texas Rangers; and Miguel's teammate J.A. Happ (2-0, 1.46 ERA, 12.1 IP, 12 SO).
In recognition of his American League Player of the Week Award, Nicholas Castellanos will be awarded a watch courtesy of Rockwell.