By Annie Walker
Angels Outfielder Kevin Pillar Claims Play of the Week with Full-Extension Diving Catch
August 5th, 2024
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has been named the American League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet, and on the heels of the 18th no-hitter in franchise history, San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Blake Snell has been selected the National League Player of the Wee**k presented by Chevrolet**.
Guerrero Jr. earned his sixth career Player of the Week Award following his win last month on July 1st. He also won once in 2022 (June 21st); once in 2021 (June 28th); and twice in 2019 (May 20th and August 5th). His six career awards are third-most in Blue Jays’ history, trailing Carlos Delgado, who won nine times, and George Bell, who won eight times. Snell earned his first career honor and is the third pitcher to win the award this season, following San Diego Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease (July 29th) and Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco (April 6th) who won following their respective no-hitters. Snell is the second Giants player to be named a winner this season, following Luis Matos on May 20th, and he is the first Giants pitcher to win the award since Jeff Samardzija on September 4, 2017. He is San Francisco’s first left-hander to be named Player of the Week since Jonathan Sánchez on July 12, 2009, following his no-hitter.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (@vladdyjr27)
- The 25-year-old hit .536 (15-for-28) with three homers, eight RBI, seven doubles, four walks, eight runs scored, a 1.107 slugging percentage and a .606 on-base percentage in seven games last week.
- The four-time All-Star led the Majors in batting average, on-base percentage, OPS (1.713), hits (15), doubles (7), extra-base hits (10) and total bases (31); and ranked second in slugging.
- The 2021 Ted Williams All-Star Game MVP went a combined 7-for-10 with two homers, three doubles, and five RBI in Monday’s doubleheader at Baltimore. He became the first player in Blue Jays’ history with five extra-base hits in a doubleheader and the first Blue Jays player to homer in both ends of a doubleheader since Bo Bichette on May 27, 2021 at New York (AL). Along with his home run on Sunday at Texas, Guerrero homered in at least three consecutive games for the seventh time in his career and third time this season.
- The 2021 Silver Slugger closed out his week with a double in four straight games and now has at least one extra-base hit in seven of his last eight games since July 27th. Since play resumed on July 19th following the 94th All-Star Game, Guerrero’s .492 batting average, 1.051 slugging percentage, 1.608 OPS, 17 extra-base hits and 62 total bases are the best marks in the Majors.
- The 2023 T-Mobile Home Run Derby Champion has hit safely in 17 consecutive games since July 14th, marking the second-longest hitting streak of his career behind a 22-game stretch from July 15-August 13, 2022. During the current streak, he is slashing .500/.560/1.078 with nine homers, 18 RBI, 10 doubles, nine walks, 20 runs scored and a 1.638 OPS. He has struck out just seven times in his last 75 plate appearances (9.3%).
Blake Snell, San Francisco Giants (@snellzilla4)
- The 31-year-old threw a no-hitter on Friday at Cincinnati, marking the Giants’ first no-hitter since Chris Heston on June 9, 2015. Snell permitted three walks with 11 strikeouts as he pitched into the ninth inning for the first time in his career. He retired the first five batters in order before allowing a walk to Jeimer Candelario in the second inning. After walking Tyler Stephenson and TJ Friedl in the fifth inning, he went on to retire the contest’s final 12 batters in order.
- The Washington native led the Majors in opponents’ average and WHIP (0.33), and was one of two pitchers in Baseball to throw a shutout last week, joined by rotation-mate Logan Webb. The Giants are the first club to have starters throw back-to-back shutouts since the Diamondbacks (Zac Gallen and Madison Bumgarner) in a pair of seven-inning games on April 25, 2021, and the first to do so in consecutive nine-inning games since the Cardinals (Shelby Miller and Adam Wainwright) on May 10-11, 2013.
- The defending NL Cy Young winner became the first Giants left-hander to throw a no-hitter since Jonathan Sánchez on July 10, 2009. San Francisco’s 18 no-hitters are tied with the Red Sox for the third-most in MLB history, trailing only the Dodgers (23) and White Sox (20).
- According to Elias, Snell is just the fifth reigning Cy Young Award winner to throw a no-hitter, joining Jake Arrieta (2015, NL); Clayton Kershaw (2013, NL); Hall of Famer Bob Gibson (1970, NL); and Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax (1963, NL).
- The 2018 All-Star fanned 15 batters on July 27th against Colorado, marking the first time he has struck out at least 10 batters in back-to-back games since he recorded at least 10 strikeouts in a career-high four straight starts from June 11th-28th last year. Since returning from the IL on July 9th, Snell has a 0.55 ERA (2 ER/33.0 IP) with 41 strikeouts, 10 walks and a .078 opponents’ average.
Other noteworthy AL performances last week included All-Star third baseman José Ramírez (.391, 5 HR, 11 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 9 R, 2 SB, 1.130 SLG) of the Cleveland Guardians; All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge (.455, 4 HR, 7 RBI, 8 BB, 6 R, 1.000 SLG, .600 OBP) and infielder/outfielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. (.320, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 3 BB, 6 R, 1 SB, .800 SLG) of the New York Yankees; first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (.344, 4 HR, 12 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB, 5 R, .750 SLG) and All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (.379, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 2 2B, 4 BB, 9 R, 2 SB) of the Kansas City Royals; All-Star shortstop Gunnar Henderson (1 HR, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 1 3B, 4 BB, 11 R, .500 OBP), rookie outfielder Colton Cowser (.419, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 1 2B, 4 BB, 9 R) and rookie second baseman Jackson Holliday (.389, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 1 2B, 2 BB, 5 R, .778 SLG, .476 OBP) of the Baltimore Orioles; rookie outfielder Wilyer Abreu (.381, 3 HR, 9 RBI, 2 2B, 1 BB, 7 R, .905 SLG) and All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran (.407, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 3 2B, 1 3B, 2 BB, 4 R, .704 SLG) of the Boston Red Sox; and catcher Yainer Diaz (.417, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 3 2B, 1 BB, 3 R, .440 OBP) of the Astros.
Other noteworthy NL performances for the week included All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte (.370, 4 HR, 9 RBI, 5 R, .815 SLG), shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (.524, 6 RBI, 4 2B, 1 BB, 6 R, 2 SB, .565 OBP), third baseman Eugenio Suárez (.375, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 2 2B, 2 BB, 9 R, .833 SLG, .423 OBP) and designated hitter Joc Pederson (.400, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 4 BB, 3 R, 1.000 SLG, .571 OBP) of the Arizona Diamondbacks; third baseman Manny Machado (.474, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 3 2B, 2 BB, 5 R, 1.105 SLG, .524 OBP) of the San Diego Padres; Snell’s rotation-mate Logan Webb (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 1 CG, 1 SHO, 9.0 IP, 5 H, 1 BB, 6 SO) of the Giants; second baseman Luis García Jr. (.526, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 1 BB, 5 R, 2 SB, .895 SLG, .550 OBP) and outfielder Alex Call (.571, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 2B, 5 BB, 1 R, 2 SB, .929 SLG. .684 OBP) of the Washington Nationals; infielders Jonah Bride (.273, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 1 2B, 3 BB, 3 R, .727 SLG) and Jake Burger (.333, 4 HR, 8 RBI, 2 BB, 4 R, .833 SLG) of the Miami Marlins; All-Star starting pitcher Hunter Greene (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 6.0 IP, 1 H, 1 BB, 11 SO) of the Cincinnati Reds; and starting pitcher Sean Manaea (1-0, 0.00 ERA, 1 GS, 7.0 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 11 SO) of the New York Mets.
Electric Play of the Week presented by Chevrolet
Long Run and Full-Extension Diving Catch By Kevin Pillar of the Los Angeles Angels
August 3rd at Angel Stadium – Watch It Here
Center fielder Kevin Pillar of the Los Angeles Angels earned his third career Play of the Week Award and second of the season after previously winning the Angels’ last award on July 8th. He also won on May 4, 2019 as a member of the Giants. Overall, it is the fourth honor for the Angels after the club won last year on August 21st for a triple play and David Fletcher won on August 17, 2020. On the second pitch of the game, Francisco Lindor hit a ball deep into the gap as Pillar ranged back and made an incredible diving catch for the first out of the game. Additional Play of the Week candidates included Bobby Witt Jr.’s diving play to end the game; Brenton Doyle’s home run robbery; Parker Meadows’ full-extension diving catch; Spencer Steer’s great recovery and glove flip; Willson Contreras’ all-out effort and flip to first; and Ezequiel Duran’s long throw to third for the assist.
COURTESY MLB MEDIA RELATIONS
