Matt Harvey, Prince Fielder named MLB Players of the Week

Press Release Major League Baseball

New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey has been named National League Player of the Week for the period ending April 14th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

Harvey went 2-0 in two starts last week with a 1.20 ERA in an N.L.-high 15.0 innings while tying for the N.L. lead in strikeouts with 15. He allowed just five hits during the week while walking four. The hard-throwing right-hander improved his record to a perfect 3-0 this year, becoming the first pitcher in modern Major League history (since 1900) to win each of his first three starts to commence a season while compiling at least 25 strikeouts and allowing a total of six hits-or-fewer in those outings (Elias Sports Bureau). On Saturday, the 24-year-old tossed a career-high 8.0 innings en route to a 4-2 Mets victory over the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Harvey held the Twins hitless through 6.2 innings before giving up a solo home run to slugger Justin Morneau in the seventh frame. It proved to be the only hiccup for the young phenom, who ended the day with just one earned run on two hits with six strikeouts. In his April 8th start at Philadelphia, Harvey was similarly effective, holding the N.L. Eastrival hillies to just one run on three hits while fanning nine in 7.0 innings of work to earn the win in a 7-2 victory at Citizens Bank Park. The Connecticut native threw 110 pitches in the outing (66 strikes) as he out-performed Phils ace Roy Halladay for the decision. The University of North Carolina product, who was the Mets first round selection (seventh overall) in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft, has amassed 95 strikeouts through his first 13 starts—the third-highest total through that many starts in Mets franchise history behind Nolan Ryan (103) and Dwight Gooden (96). His 25 strikeouts this year are currently tied for fourth-best in the Majors. This is his first Player of the Week honor.

Other noteworthy performances last week included Harvey’s battery-mate John Buck (4 HR, 10 RBI, 5 R, .810 SLG); outfielder Starling Marte (.423, 11 H, 7 R, HR, 6 RBI, .464 OBP) and closer Jason Grilli (0-0, 0.00 ERA, 4 SV, 5 SO, 4.0 IP) of the Pirates; first baseman Matt Adams (.625, 5 H, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 1.875 SLG) and right-hander Adam Wainwright (1-0, 0.00 ERA, CG, SHO, 9.0 IP, 12 SO) of the Cardinals; Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro (.379, 11 H, 2 HR, 5 RBI, .759 SLG); catcher Evan Gattis (.304, 3 HR, 9 RBI, .783 SLG), infielder Chris Johnson (.481, 13 H, 4 RBI, .481 OBP) and left-hander Paul Maholm (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 14 SO, 14.2 IP) of the Braves; and second baseman Marco Scutaro (.440, 11 H, 3 2B, 4 RBI, .423 OBP) and left-handed pitcher Madison Bumgarner (2-0, 2.92 ERA, 12.1 IP, 11 SO) of the Giants.

In recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award, Matt Harvey will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.

Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder has been named the American League Player of the Week for the period ending April 14th. This marks the fifth time that Prince has garnered a weekly honor, his first in the A.L. He previously won four Player of the Week

Awards in the National League while with the Milwaukee Brewers. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network. Fielder batted .632 (12-for-19) with four doubles, two home runs, 11 RBI, five runs scored and nine walks in six games. During the week, the left-handed-hitting slugger led all Major League hitters in batting average, RBI, slugging percentage (1.158) and on-base percentage (.733), was second overall in walks, tied for second in doubles, third in hits and tied for third in total bases (22). Fielder got his award-winning week off to a quick start in Tuesday’s tilt with the Toronto Blue Jays, roping a first-inning RBIdouble to help Detroit defeat the Jays, 7-3, at Comerica Park. The 28-year-old reached base four times, finishing 2-for-3 with a pair of walks to back teammate Anibal Sanchez in the win. After being edged out by the Blue Jays in an 8-6 loss on Wednesday, Fielder and the Tigers stormed back on Thursday in the Motor City with a 16-hit attack as Detroit rolled to an 11-1 victory to ta the rubber match. Prince went 2-for-2 with a double, a sacrifice fly, two walks and four RBI in the win. Moving westward to open a three-game set with the Oakland Athletics at O.co Coliseum, the four-time All-Star continued his early season hot streak at the plate with a 4-for-5 showing, including a pair of singles, a double and a three-run homer as Detroit fell to the A’s, 4-3, in 12 innings. On Saturday, the Ontario, California native launched his second homer in as many days to help Detroit cruise to a 7-3 win over Oakland. Fielder wrapped up the afternoon with a pair of hits, marking his third consecutive multi-hit game and his sixth in 12 games this season. In addition, Prince added two walks en route to his fourth game in five days with multiple free passes.

Entering play today, the nine-year veteran ranks among Major League leaders in several offensive categories through the season’s first two weeks, including first overall in batting average (.429), tied for first in RBI (19), second in on-base percentage (.527), third in slugging percentage (.833) and tied for third in walks (10). The former first round draft pick (seventh overall by Milwaukee in 2002) is riding a nine-game hitting streak, and has batted .533 (16-for-30) with four doubles, four homers and 18 RBI during the stretch. Other noteworthy performances last week included the aforementioned Anibal Sanchez (2-0, 1.93 ERA, 14.0 IP, 16 K); Boston’s Clay Buchholz (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 15.0 IP, 19 K, 7.0 no-hit innings vs. Tampa Bay on Sunday); Hiroki Kuroda (2-0, 1.88 ERA, SHO vs. Baltimore on Sunday) and Robinson Cano (.500, 3 HR, 8 RBI, 1.091 SLG) of the New York Yankees; and Houston’s Chris Carter (.440, 4 HR, 7 RBI).

In recognition of his American League Player of the Week Award, Prince Fielder will be awarded a watch courtesy of Game Time, the leader in licensed sports watches, available at MLB.com.