Major League Baseball announced its players of the week on Monday for the week from June 9-15, and honoured Texas Rangers designated hitter Josh Smith of Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the American League, and Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. of La Guaira, Venezuela in the National League.
Josh Smith
Smith batted .423 with 11 hits in 26 at bats. He scored nine runs and had three doubles, two home runs, four runs batted in, four walks, 20 total bases, an on base percentage of .500 and a slugging percentage of .769. Smith’s home runs came in a 16-3 Rangers win over the Minnesota Twins on June 12 and in a 3-1 Rangers win over the Chicago White Sox on June 14.
This season, Smith is batting .288 with seven home runs and 20 runs batted in. During 63 games, 219 at bats and 245 plate appearances, he scored 32 runs and had 63 hits, 11 doubles, one triple, eight stolen bases, 23 walks, 97 total bases, one sacrifice bunt, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .357, and a slugging percentage of .443. Smith’s triple and sacrifice fly came in Rangers wins. The triple was in an 8-1 Rangers win over the Seattle Mariners on May 4, and the sacrifice fly came in a 5-1 Rangers win over the Houston Astros on May 17.
Ronald Acuna Jr.
Acuna Jr. batted an amazing .619 with 13 hits in 21 at bats. During six games, and 26 plate appearances, he scored eight runs and had 13 hits, one double, three home runs, six runs batted in, one stolen base, five walks, 23 total bases, an on base percentage of .692, and a slugging percentage of 1.095. The double and stolen base came in a 12-4 Braves win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday.
This season, Acuna Jr. is batting .390 with seven home runs and 13 runs batted in. During 21 games, 90 plate appearances, and 77 at bats, he has scored 18 runs and had 30 hits, three doubles, one stolen base, 13 walks, 54 total bases, an on base percentage of .478 and a slugging percentage of .701.
