Dodgers Shohei Ohtani named National League Player of the Week
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- L.A. Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani has been chosen as the National League Player of the Week, the MLB announced on Monday.
Ohtani joins Hall of Famer Don Sutton as the only players to win a weekly award as a member of both the Dodgers and Angels.
The 29-year-old hit .524 (11-for-21) with three homers, seven RBI, three walks, six runs scored, two stolen bases, a .952 slugging percentage and a .583 on-base percentage across five games. Ohtani led the Majors in batting average, OBP, OPS (1.535); tied for the Major League lead in total bases (20); ranked second in slugging and hits; and tied for fourth in runs scored, according to the MLB.
The two-time unanimous AL MVP recorded his seventh career four-hit game on Sunday against the Braves. Ohtani went 4 for 4 with two home runs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves, 5-1, to sweep the three-game series.
Ohtani launched a hanging curveball from Braves started Max Fried 412 feet over the center field fence for a two-run homer in the first inning. He added a pair of singles in the third and the sixth before leading off the eighth inning with a 464-foot blast off reliever A.J. Minter deep into the left center field bleachers.
"He just keeps doing things that we just hadn't seen haven't seen before," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "That's deep. People don't hit the ball out there, whether you're left-handed or right-handed."
It was Ohtani's first multihomer game with the Dodgers and the 17th of his career. His four hits also tied a career high. He is now tied for the major league lead with 10 home runs this season.
The 2018 AL Jackie Robinson Rookie of the Year hit safely in all of his games last week and has hit safely in 30 of his 35 games this season, marking the most in the Majors. Ohtani has reached in all but three of his games this year, and has reached at least three times in 12 games, including all three games of the Dodgers' past weekend set with the Braves.
The three-time All-Star has been on a tear through his first 35 games of the year, pacing Major League hitters in batting average (.364); slugging (.685); OPS (1.111); hits (52); doubles (14); extra-base hits (25); and total bases (98).
In addition to Ohtani's latest career honor, the MLB also announced that Oakland Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker was named the American League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
