Major League Baseball announced its players of the week on Monday for the week from June 23-29. For the first time this season. a pitcher was chosen as Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal of Hayward, California was the American League player of the week. Meanwhile, the National League Player of the Week was Cincinnati Reds corner infielder and outfielder Spencer Steer of Long Beach, California.
Tarik Skubal
Skubal had a record of two wins and zero losses with an earned run average of 2.77. In 13 innings pitched, he gave up seven hits, four earned runs, two walks, and two home runs, to go along with 21 strikeouts, and a WHIP (walks and hits per innings pitched) of 0.69.
Skubal’s first game of the week came on June 24 in an 11-4 Tigers win over the Athletics. He gave up four earned runs in six earned innings. However, it was his second start which was exceptional. In a 3-0 Tigers win over the Minnesota Twins on Sunday, Skubal threw seven shutout innings, and only gave up one hit and one walk, to go along with 13 strikeouts, in an electrifying performance. Of his 93 pitches, 67 were for strikes.
Skubal has the capability of winning the American League Cy Young Award for the second year in a row. He leads the Major Leagues in wins (10), winning percentage (.833), shutouts (one), and WHIP (0.84).
Spencer Steer
Steer batted .522 with 12 hits in 23 at bats. During six games and 25 plate appearances, he scored five runs and had one double, three home runs, seven runs batted in, one stolen base, one walk, 22 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .520, and a slugging percentage of .957. Steer’s stolen base and sacrifice fly came in a 6-1 Reds win over the Yankees on June 23. Steer’s double came in a 5-4 Reds win over the Yankees on June 24. Steer’s three home runs came in an 8-1 Reds win over the Padres on June 27, and his walk came in a 3-2 Reds win over the Padres on June 29.
Steer is batting .250 this season. He has scored 34 runs and had 72 hits, 13 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 33 runs batted in, six stolen bases, 21 walks, 114 total bases, one sacrifice fly, an on base percentage of .302 and a slugging percentage of .396.
The Tigers lead the American League Central at 53 wins and 32 losses. The Reds are at 44 wins and 41 losses, and trail the St. Louis Cardinals by two and a half games for a wildcard spot.
