MLB Team of the Week: Cain, Gonzalez and Gray Star

Meaningful baseball is finally here, and America's pastime didn't disappoint, with an exciting opening week of action that saw a variety of players deliver some big-time performances, both at the plate and in the field.

Each week, Bleacher Report will bring you our picks for the best of the best, the players whose play stood out from their peers around the league, and construct a "Team of the Week."

Our squad will be comprised of one player at each position, including a designated hitter (sorry National League aficionados). For our purposes, a player must have played at least two games at a given position to qualify for inclusion on our opening week roster.

On the mound, however, we're only requiring one game for admittance. Why? Because we're only interested in the guys who take the ball to start the game, not those who pick up the pieces after the starter has left. Relievers need not apply.

We'll also include a pair of honorable mentions for each roster spot, except in the rotation, where there will be three.

From a playoff hero to a resurgent slugger, there was no shortage of options to fill out this week's squad. Who else made the cut? Let's take a look.

Catcher: Travis D'Arnaud, New York Mets

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

2015 Stats: 3 G, .455/.455/.636, 3B, 4 RBI, R, K, 238 wRC+

After Travis d'Arnaud's performance against three of the game's best starters—the Washington Nationals' Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg—we might have to start spelling his last name with a capital D.

d'Arnaud didn't just hit the ball well, he also came through with big hits in big spots.

His seventh-inning triple off of Scherzer gave the Mets a 3-1 lead over the Nationals on Monday, while Wednesday saw the 26-year-old break the game open with a bases-loaded, two-run single off Strasburg in the third inning that saw the club take a commanding 4-0 lead.

While some doubted that d'Arnaud would ever find sustained success against big league pitching, despite a track record of success in the minors, Mets skipper Terry Collins wasn't one of them.

“We said it all along, the 162 [game regular season] means a lot," Collins explained to the New York Post's Fred Kerber after Monday's season opener. "When you watch him under the bright lights with second and third decks on a stadium and people screaming and hollering and when they get the job done, you've got to ignore a little bit of spring training. And so we always thought Travis was going to hit.”

Honorable Mentions

• Alex Avila (DET): Went 4-for-8 (.500 BA) with a home run, three RBI, five runs scored and a remarkable (for Avila) three walks to only one strikeout, but he did so against a hapless Minnesota pitching staff.

• Salvador Perez (KC): Collected five hits in 11 at-bats against White Sox pitching, picking up a double, home run, three RBI and a walk along the way.

First Base: Adrian Gonzalez, Los Angeles Dodgers

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

2015 Stats: 3 G, .769/.769/2.077, 2 2B, 5 HR, 7 RBI, 7 R, 2 K, 814 wRC+

How hot is Adrian Gonzalez's bat out of the gate? Hot enough that it appears to have even surprised Los Angeles' 32-year-old first baseman. 

"I'm a streaky hitter," he told the Los Angeles Times' Dylan Hernandez. "When I'm feeling good, I hit like this—well, maybe not like this, but close."

And he's not too far off in that assessment, especially when it comes to starting the season with a power surge.

Gonzalez has gone deep at least five times in the season's opening month on five different occasions over the course of his career—every year from 2007 to 2010 (which, as Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer recently noted, was when Gonzo's power was at the height of its, well, power) and again in 2014.

But he's never gone deep five times in the first three games of the season.

In fact, before now, no player in baseball history had accomplished the feat, according to ESPN, which also points out that Gonzalez broke a 50-year team record set by Brooklyn's Carl Furillo back in 1955 with four dingers in the team's first three games.

Breaking records is a surefire way to land a starting spot on our Team of the Week.

Honorable Mentions

• Yonder Alonso (SD): Went 7-for-15 in San Diego's opening series against Gonzalez and the Dodgers, drawing four walks while fanning three times.

• Adam Lind (MIL): Collected six hits (including a pair of doubles and a home run) over 13 plate appearances against Colorado, driving in two, walking three times and striking out only once.

Second Base: Devon Travis, Toronto Blue Jays

Elsa/Getty Images

2015 Stats: 3 G, .333/.455/.667, HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 2 BB, 2 K, 236 wRC+

There may not be a more daunting place for a player to make his major league debut than Yankee Stadium—especially when that player is on the visiting team—but the bright lights of the big city didn't faze Devon Travis in the least.

The 24-year-old drew a pair of walks before taking Yankees reliever Chasen Shreve deep for a solo shot, becoming only the seventh player in franchise history—and the first since J.P. Arencibia in 2010—whose first career hit was a home run, according to MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm.

"I don't think you could write the script any different," Travis told Chisholm after his debut. "Having Opening Day in New York City, the Yankees, so much history with this organization. Dream come true. I'm just so thankful for everything, I don't really think anything has hit me yet. It was just an awesome day."

Honorable Mentions

• Howie Kendrick (LAD): Went 5-for-12 with a double, a triple and two RBI against San Diego in his Dodgers debut series, though he was caught stealing twice in three attempts.

• Dustin Pedroia (BOS): Boston's unquestioned leader is once again healthy and swinging a hot bat, smacking a pair of home runs off of Philadelphia pitching.

Third Base: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

2015 Stats: 3 G, .462/.500/.923, 3 2B, HR, 5 RBI, 5 R, BB, 318 wRC+

Nolan Arenado put up quality offensive numbers over his first two seasons in the majors, posting a combined .277/.314/.450 triple-slash line with 28 home runs and 113 RBI, but it's his defense, which earned him consecutive National League Gold Glove awards, that commanded the most attention.

If his opening week is any indication, it looks as if his bat has finally caught up with his glove.

The 23-year-old had his way with Milwaukee's pitching staff, collecting six hits in 13 at-bats and doing it on the road away from the cozy confines of Coors Field, where nearly every player sees an uptick in his offensive production.

Honorable Mentions

• Todd Frazier (CIN): Three of his four hits against Pittsburgh went for extra bases, including a pair of home runs, the first of which was a three-run shot off reliever Tony Watson in the bottom of the eighth inning on Opening Day with the game tied at two.

• Evan Longoria (TB): Went 3-for-8 with a double and solo home run against Baltimore, walking four times while providing his usual excellence defensively at the hot corner.

Shortstop: Alcides Escobar, Kansas City Royals

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

2015 Stats: 3 G, .500/.538/.667, 2 2B, 5 R, BB, 1-for-1 SB, 265 wRC+

If you're a fan of streaks that carry over from year to year, then Alcides Escobar's selection as the shortstop on our Team of the Week comes as no surprise. By way of his six hits in 12 at-bats against the White Sox, Escobar has extended his hitting streak to 12 games.

While he hasn't driven in a run, Escobar has been a big-time run producer over the season's opening week, getting on base consistently and getting into scoring position so that the big bats behind him can bring him home, something he accomplished at least once in each of Kansas City's first three games against Chicago.

Honorable Mentions

• Jose Iglesias (DET): The stress fractures in both shins that cost Iglesias all of 2014 are behind him, as the speedy shortstop went 6-for-11 with a pair of stolen bases against Minnesota.

• Jimmy Rollins (LAD): Delivered three extra-base hits in his first three games wearing Dodgers blue, including a three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning on Opening Day that broke a 3-3 tie against San Diego.

Left Field: Corey Dickerson, Colorado Rockies

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

2015 Stats: 3 G, .417/.462/1.083, 2 2B, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 3 R, BB, K, 0-for-1 SB, 355 wRC+

If you're looking for some sort of secret to Corey Dickerson's success at the plate, you can stop your search, for Colorado manager Walt Weiss has already told everyone what makes his starting left fielder so productive at the plate.

"He just swings hard in case he hits it—that's pretty much his approach," Weiss told MLB.com's Thomas Harding and Adam McCalvy after the team's 10-0 drubbing of Milwaukee on Opening Day, a game that saw Dickerson go 2-for-5 with a double, a home run and four RBI.

Dickerson hasn't stopped swinging hard (or making contact) since, reaching base safely, crossing home plate and driving in a run at least once in each of the team's first three games of the year. He's also been terrific in the field, leading all left fielders with two defensive runs saved.

Honorable Mentions

• Nori Aoki (SF): Hunter Pence's injury replacement has performed admirably for the defending World Series champions, going 7-for-20 (.412) with a pair of doubles in four games.

• Hanley Ramirez (BOS): A pair of Opening Day home runs signaled Han-Ram's official return to Boston, for whom he went 4-for-13 with five RBI against Philadelphia.

Center Field: Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals

Ed Zurga/Getty Images

2015 Stats: 3 G, .417/.500/.750, 2B, HR, 4 RBI, 4 R, 1-for-1 SB, 279 wRC+

Clutch hitting and spectacular defense made Lorenzo Cain one of the stars of the 2014 playoffs, and the 28-year-old has picked up right where he left off for Kansas City.

His two-run shot off Chicago reliever Zack Putnam in the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday broke a 5-5 tie and wound up winning the game for the Royals, and it was only the second time he's gone yard in the season's opening month over parts of six major league seasons.

“I don’t hit many home runs,” Cain told Andy McCullough of The Kansas City Star. “But when I get them, I can tell. It felt great, off the bat.”

He also put on a display with the glove, making terrific plays on balls hit by Micah Johnson and Adam LaRoche, the latter of which temporarily knocked the wind out of him after he slammed into the wall running full speed.

Honorable Mentions

• Anthony Gose (DET): Went 6-for-11 with four runs scored in his first two games as Detroit's leadoff hitter, picking up two doubles and a triple along the way.

• Angel Pagan (SF): The back ailments that limited him to only 167 games since 2012 behind him, Pagan went 6-for-20 with four doubles, a triple and two RBI over four games.

Right Field: J.D. Martinez, Detroit Tigers

Carlos Osorio/Associated Press

2015 Stats: 3 G, .308/.308/.846, 2B, 2 HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, K, 257 wRC+

If you thought J.D. Martinez's breakout 2014 campaign was just a mirage, think again, for the 27-year-old looks very much like the player who hit .315 with 23 home runs and a .912 OPS for Detroit in 2014.

Martinez hit a solo shot off Minnesota's Phil Hughes in his first at-bat of the season to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead over the Twins on Opening Day, then followed that up with a two-run blast off Kyle Gibson on Thursday to extend Detroit's lead to 6-0.

His home run off of Hughes got the attention of everyone in attendance, including Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, who was effusive in his praise of his young right fielder.

"He's got tremendous power," Ausmus told MLive.com's Aaron McMann. "As a matter of fact, I thought that was gone off the bat. It just has a different sound to it. He's right there with Miggy, in terms of being able to drive the ball to right-center. He might be a tick behind Miggy, but he has tremendous power."

Honorable Mention.

• Travis Snider (BAL): Snider might not have the power to replace the departed Nelson Cruz and Nick Markakis in Baltimore, but the Orioles will happily take 4-for-9 with a double, three RBI and three walks from the veteran in every series they play going forward.

Designated Hitter: Edwin Encarnacion, Toronto Blue Jays

Elsa/Getty Images

2015 Stats: 3 G, .417/.417/.917, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 3 R, 3 K, 314 wRC+

With the way Edwin Encarnacion swings the bat, it wouldn't surprise anyone to learn that fans of Toronto's slugger—or even some of his teammates—had written a song about him in their minds, as Jack Black did about his similarly named love interest in Nacho Libre.

(Just try and watch him play after hearing that song. Chances are you'll be singing the chorus in your head whenever he steps to the plate, whether you want to or not.)

Encarnacion reminded everyone why he's in the discussion along with Boston's David Ortiz as baseball's best designated hitter against the Yankees, going deep twice for Toronto in the three-game set between the AL East foes.

It's a stark difference from a year ago, when Encarnacion's first home run didn't come until April 22.

"This game is crazy sometimes," Encarnacion told MLB.com's Gregor Chisholm after the team's Opening Day victory. "You feel good, but you don't look good at the plate. That happened to me last year, I felt good at the plate, but the result didn't come good for me. This year, I've been trying to do the best I can do, try to make good swings on pitches that I'm looking for, and it's been working."

Honorable Mentions

• Billy Butler (OAK): Country Breakfast has yet to go yard for the A's, but he has picked up five hits over his first 16 at-bats in an A's uniform.

• Kendrys Morales (KC): The man who replaced Butler in Kansas City, Morales has been solid but unspectacular thus far, going 3-for-11 with a pair of doubles, two RBI and three walks in three games.

Starting Pitcher: Sonny Gray, Oakland Athletics

Eric Risberg/Associated Press

There were a number of worthy candidates for this spot, but the nod has to go to Oakland's Sonny Gray, who took a no-hitter against Texas into the eighth inning Monday before Ryan Rua broke it up with a line-drive single to right field.

As Grantland's Michael Baumann recounts: "Through eight innings, Gray pumped 93 mph fastballs into the zone while offsetting his heater with his signature curveball, and between stints on the mound, he bounced around the dugout like he was enjoying the experience of kicking wholesale ass while the eyes of the baseball world focused on him."

That sounds about right for a pitcher who, by year's end, could be in the conversation as the best that the American League has to offer, right alongside Felix Hernandez and David Price.

Honorable Mentions

• Trevor Bauer (CLE): Tossed six no-hit innings against Houston, striking out 11, but he walked five against a lineup that swings at anything near the plate.

• Matt Harvey (NYM): Was stellar in his first start since 2013, fanning nine over six scoreless innings against Washington.

• David Price (DET): Tossed 8.2 scoreless innings against Minnesota, retiring the first 13 batters he faced and, as Baumann notes, nearly pulled off the ever-elusive "Maddux."

Unless otherwise linked/noted, all statistics courtesy of Baseball-Reference and FanGraphs and are current through games of April 9.

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