Michael Busch Named NL Player of the Week
I’m working from my phone so this will be one of those lazy posts where I just share the press release.
Chicago Cubs rookie first baseman Michael Busch has been selected the National League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet, and Detroit Tigers rookie starting pitcher Keider Montero has been named the American League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet. The announcements were made earlier today on MLB Network.
Busch claimed his first career award and is the first member of the Cubs to win since Marcus Stroman last year on June 5th. He is the first Cubs position player to win the award since his current teammate Seiya Suzuki won on April 18, 2022. Montero also claimed his first career honor and is the fifth pitcher to win the award this season, following Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis (August 19th); San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell (August 5th); San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (July 29th); and Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco (April 6th). Overall, it is the first honor for a Tigers player since Miguel Cabrera won on April 25, 2022 and the first honor for a Tigers pitcher since Spencer Turnbull on May 24, 2021 following his no-hitter.
Michael Busch, Chicago Cubs (@lil_busch)
- The 26-year-old hit .478 (11-for-23) with four homers, 11 RBI, two doubles, a walk, seven runs scored, a 1.087 slugging percentage and a .480 on-base percentage in six games last week.
- The Minnesota native led the Majors in RBI and OPS (1.567); tied for the Major League lead in slugging, extra-base hits (6) and total bases (25); tied for second in batting average, hits (11) and runs; and ranked seventh in on-base percentage.
- After being traded from the Dodgers to the Cubs on January 11th, Busch tallied four hits in his return to Los Angeles on Monday, going 4-for-4 with a homer, a double, three RBI and three runs scored. His four hits tied his career high set on July 9th at Baltimore and his three RBI tied his career high from April 7th, also against the Dodgers.
- The University of North Carolina product followed up his four-hit, three RBI performance on Monday with a pair of three-hit, three-RBI contests on Friday and Sunday at Colorado, finishing the series 6-for-10 with seven RBI and a 2.045 OPS. He teed off on a 453-foot, three-run homer in the eighth inning on Friday and followed suit with a 468-foot solo shot on Sunday in the ninth inning, marking the ninth-longest homer by a Cubs player since 2015. The 468-foot homer was the fourth-longest blast at Coors Field this season, trailing Jorge Soler (478 ft on 7/21); Shohei Ohtani (476 ft on 6/18); and Pete Alonso (471 ft on 8/8).
- The 31st overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft (by the Dodgers) has hit 20 homers this season, tied with Colton Cowser for third-most among rookies this season, trailing only Jackson Merrill (23 HR) and Jackson Chourio (21 HR). His 20 homers are the most by a rookie first baseman in franchise history, surpassing Anthony Rizzo’s 15 blasts in 2012. Busch’s 49 extra-base hits this season rank third among rookies, trailing only Merrill (56) and Chourio (52).
Keider Montero, Detroit Tigers (@keider_montero54)
- The 24-year-old went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/14.0 IP) while allowing eight hits with a walk, six strikeouts, a 0.64 WHIP and a .174 opponents’ average across two starts last week.
- The Venezuela native led the Majors in innings pitched, tossing a three-hit shutout on Tuesday against Colorado and 5.0 shutout innings on Sunday against Baltimore
- The right-hander tossed his first career shutout, allowing just three hits with no walks and five strikeouts while facing the minimum. It was Montero’s first win since August 17th and the stellar outing marked the first shutout by a Tigers pitcher since Turnbull’s no-hitter on May 18, 2021.
- It was the first time a Tigers pitcher faced the minimum in a complete game since Justin Verlander’s no hitter on May 7, 2011. With his 96 pitches, Montero became the first Detroit pitcher to throw a complete game in 100 pitches-or-fewer since David Price on June 12, 2015, and according to available pitch count data, became the first rookie since at least 2001 to toss a complete game with under 100 pitches.
- Montero closed out his week allowing five hits with one walk and one strikeout on Sunday against Baltimore, claiming his second straight scoreless start. He is the second Tigers pitcher with back-to-back starts of at least 5.0 scoreless innings this season, joining former teammate Jack Flaherty, who had three straight starts of at least 5.0 scoreless innings from May 30th-June 15th.
Other noteworthy NL performances for the week included outfielder/infielder Tommy Edman (.391, 5 HR, 8 RBI, 1 2B, 2 BB, 5 R, 1.087 SLG) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; infielder/designated hitter Luis Arraez (.478, 1 RBI, 2 2B, 6 R, .565 SLG) and outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (.400, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 6 R, 1 SB, 1.000 SLG) of the San Diego Padres; starting pitcher Nick Martinez (2-0, 0.69 ERA, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 11 SO) and outfielder TJ Friedl (.370, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 6 R, 1 SB, .593 SLG) of the Cincinnati Reds; rookie outfielder Jackson Chourio (.320, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 BB, 6 R, .760 SLG) and closer Devin Williams (0.00 ERA, 3 G, 3/3 SV, 3.0 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 5 SO) of the Milwaukee Brewers; first baseman Matt Olson (.435, 8 RBI, 5 2B, 3 BB, 2 R, .652 SLG) of the Atlanta Braves; Busch’s teammates outfielder Cody Bellinger (.320, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 5 BB, 9 R, .680 SLG) and third baseman Isaac Paredes (.455, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 5 BB, 5 R, .517 OBP) of the Cubs; outfielder Bryan Reynolds (.425, 5 RBI, 5 2B, 1 BB, 3 R, .652 SLG) of the Pittsburgh Pirates; first baseman Christian Walker (.400, 2 HR, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 4 BB, 3 R, .933 SLG, .550 OBP) of the Arizona Diamondbacks; starting pitcher Cristopher Sánchez (0.69 ERA, 2 GS, 13.0 IP, 10 H, 2 BB, 11 SO) of the Philadelphia Phillies; and starting pitcher Charlie Morton (0-1, 1.42 ERA, 2 GS, 12.2 IP, 9 H, 4 BB, 13 SO) of the Atlanta Braves.
Other noteworthy AL performances last week included outfielder Victor Robles (.545, 1 RBI, 3 2B, 3 BB, 4 R, 6 SB, .682 SLG, .630 OBP) of the Seattle Mariners; Montero’s teammate outfielder Riley Greene (.364, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 1 3B, 1 BB, 6 R, .864 SLG) of the Tigers; outfielder Lane Thomas (.310, 2 HR, 10 RBI, 4 2B, 5 R, .655 SLG), rookie starting pitcher Joey Cantillo (2-0, 0.75 ERA, 2 GS, 12.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 16 SO) and closer Emmanuel Clase (0.00 ERA, 3 G, 3/3 SV, 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 BB, 5 SO) of the Cleveland Guardians; first baseman Nolan Schanuel (.476, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 2 R, 3 SB, .619 SLG, .560 OBP) of the Los Angeles Angels; outfielder Tyler O’Neill (.231, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 2 2B, 4 BB, 6 R, .769 SLG) of the Boston Red Sox; outfielder Aaron Judge (.333, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 2B, 6 BB, 3 R, 1 SB, .625 SLG) of the New York Yankees; and catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (.409, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 BB, 2 R, .682 SLG) of the Kansas City Royals.
ELECTRIC PLAY OF THE WEEK PRESENTED BY CHEVROLET
Epic Home Run Robbery By Sal Frelick of the Milwaukee Brewers
September 14th at Chase Field – Watch It Here
Right fielder Sal Frelick of the Milwaukee Brewers earned his fourth career Play of the Week Award, which are now the most in the NL since the award’s inception in 2019, surpassing former Brewer Lorenzo Cain. Previously, Frelick won twice this season on June 24th for his game-ending home run robbery; May 20th for his full-extension diving catch; and won his first career honor last year on September 11th. His four awards are tied with Byron Buxton for second-most in the Majors, trailing only Cedric Mullins’ seven awards. Milwaukee’s 11 awards are second-most in the Majors behind only the Baltimore Orioles, who have an MLB-best 13 recognitions. Corbin Carroll stepped in to lead the game off for Arizona, hitting the second pitch he saw out to deep right field as Frelick raced back to the wall and took away a potential game-tying homer. Additional Play of the Week candidates included Cedric Mullins’ full-extension diving catch; Pete Crow-Armstrong’s game-ending home run robbery, to cap off a night of defensive highlights; Fernando Tatis Jr.’shome run robbery; Cal Stevenson’s home run robbery; and Dylan Crews’leaping catch at the wall.