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The time has flown by, but it really is nearly a month since the Major League Baseball season started. Our weekly awards are onto their third edition, as we highlight the best, worst and perhaps most shocking events over the last seven days of America’s Pastime.
Performance of the Week
Mookie Betts is often forgotten in the discussion of the league’s best players. Wrongly so, of course, as the Red Sox right fielder reminded us this week with a monstrous afternoon at Angel Stadium in Los Angeles.
Betts started it off with a home run off two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani. Two more balls sailed over the fence off Betts’ bat, along with two walks. Reaching base from all five of his plate appearances is impressive enough, even more so with three long balls.
Defensive Play of the Week
Usually the Major League Baseball Awards are for individuals. On this occasion, an exception must be made thanks to this play from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Aided by some calamitous base-running from the Philadelphia Phillies – particularly Rhys Hoskins – the Pirates turned perhaps the most unorthodox double play we will ever see. Yep, that’s a 1-3-4-2-5-8-7.
Start of the Week
Sean Manaea made this an easy decision with his no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. The Oakland Athletics’ starter notched the seventh no-no in A’s history, capping off a superb start to the season.
Manaea’s talent is no surprise. He has been a highly regarded starter for years, but it is beginning to bring the results that so many expected. Whatever happens in the rest of his career, though, no one can take away this historic achievement.
Nightmare of the Week
Double plays – even like the Pirates’ one above – are good and all, but it isn’t quite like a triple play. They are truly rare in Major League Baseball. The World Champion Houston Astros treated us to one this week, courtesy of a mind blank from Evan Gattis.
The designated hitter/catcher grounded to third base with runners on first and second and no outs. The double play was turned, then Gattis clearly decided he had had enough and began walking back to the dugout (or he lost count of the outs) only to be tagged out on the infield grass.
