Springer's diving catch named MLB Play of the Week
Toronto Blue Jays outfielder George Springer’s game-saving, ninth-inning catch in right field on Sunday has been named Major League Baseball’s Play of the Week. Photo: Toronto Blue Jays/YouTube
May 2, 2022
Official Major League Baseball News Release
Taylor Ward, Willy Adames named Players of the Week presented by Chevrolet
George Springer Makes Clutch Diving Catch to Claim Play of the Week
Outfielder Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels has been chosen the American League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet, and infielder Willy Adames of the Milwaukee Brewers has been named the National League Player of the Week presented by Chevrolet. The announcements were made on Monday on MLB Network.
Ward earned his first career AL Player of the Week Award and is the Angels’ first winner since David Fletcher in July 2021. Adames claimed his second career NL Player of the Week Award, previously doing so for the period ending July 18, 2021. The last Brewers position player to take home weekly honors other than Adames was Keston Hiura in July 2019.
Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels
-Batted .448 (13-for-29) with 10 runs scored, two doubles, a triple, four home runs, 11 RBIs, two walks and a 1.000 slugging percentage over seven games played.
-Logged at least one hit in every game during his award-winning week, including four multi-hit efforts.
-Registered his first career multi-home run game in Monday’s win over the Cleveland Guardians, plating all three of the Angels’ runs.
-On Wednesday against the Guardians, became the second Major Leaguer in the modern era to log a double, triple, grand slam and four runs scored in a single game, joining Roger Maris (August 3, 1958).
Willy Adames, Milwaukee Brewers
-Posted a slash line of .310/.375/.828 with six runs scored, nine hits, three doubles, four home runs and 10 RBIs across seven games.
-On Tuesday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates, produced his first career two-homer game to go along with four hits, a double and career-high seven RBIs.
-Tied the franchise record for RBIs in a game, now done 13 times by 11 different players, and joined José Hernández (2001) as the only shortstops in franchise history to register seven RBIs in a single game.
-Enters play today with five round-trippers on the season to pace all Major League shortstops. Is joined by Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies as the only middle infielders to reach the mark thus far in 2022.
Other noteworthy AL performances for the week included outfielder Kyle Tucker (.520, 13 H, 5 XBH, 11 RBI) of the Houston Astros; All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge (.391, 8 R, 5 HR, 11 RBI) of the New York Yankees; outfielder Max Kepler (.350, 2 2B, 4 HR, 9 RBI) of the Minnesota Twins; All-Star starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi (1.29 ERA, 14.0 IP, 13 SO, 0 BB) of the Boston Red Sox; and All-Star starter Kevin Gausman (1-0, 1.38 ERA, 10 SO, 0 BB) of the Toronto Blue Jays.
Other noteworthy NL performances last week included All-Star starting pitcher Walker Buehler (2-0, 0.00 ERA, 14.0 IP, 15 SO) of the Los Angeles Dodgers; All-Star first baseman Eric Hosmer (.400, 5 R, 3 HR, 9 RBI), All-Star third baseman Manny Machado (.462, 7 R, 12 H, 6 RBI) and starter Joe Musgrove (2-0, 2.08 ERA, 12 SO, 1 BB) of the San Diego Padres; All-Star outfielder Kyle Schwarber (.313, 4 R, 3 HR, 7 RBI) of the Philadelphia Phillies; and All-Star outfielder Jeff McNeil (.526, 4 R, 10 H, 5 2B) of the New York Mets.
Electric Play of the Week presented by Chevrolet
Diving Catch by George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays
Outfielder George Springer of the Toronto Blue Jays earned his second career Play of the Week Award, previously doing so last July, and is the fifth Toronto winner since the award was introduced in 2019. The last Blue Jays player to accomplish the feat other than Springer was Jonathan Davis in September 2020. With the Blue Jays leading by one run in the top of the ninth inning, Springer ranged to deep right field to lay out and make a diving catch, preventing an extra-base hit and RBI from Alex Bregman. Additional Play of the Week candidates included Jake Marisnick’s diving catch in left field; Nick Ahmed’s barehanded play and throw to first base; a double play turned by Kolten Wong and NL Player of the Week Willy Adames; and Dylan Carlson’s throw from deep center field to nab the runner at third base.