MLB Team of the Week: Clayton Kershaw, Joey Votto and Kyle Schwarber Star
The first week of post-All-Star break action is in the books, which means it's time for another installment of Bleacher Report's MLB Team of the Week.
To refresh your memory: These are the players (one per position, plus a designated hitter) who have busted box scores over the last seven days.
Forget their overall stats. We're judging them solely on what they accomplished between July 17 and July 23.
To qualify, a player needs at least two starts at the position in question, or at least one start in the case of pitchers. Speaking of which, we're only considering starting hurlers—sorry, relievers. And bonus points are awarded if a strong individual performance led to notches in the win column.
Catcher: Kyle Schwarber, Chicago Cubs
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With regular Chicago Cubs catcher Miguel Montero nursing a thumb injury, rookie Kyle Schwarber got the call-up and four starts behind the dish this week.
He made the most of the opportunity, going 10-for-22 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBI.
Schwarber was such a revelation, the Cubs are searching for ways to keep his bat in the lineup, including potentially getting the 22-year-old reps in the outfield, per Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune.
The bottom line is that these Cubbies just keep churning out exciting young players, which is why they hold a slim lead for the second wild-card slot entering play Friday.
Honorable Mention
Yadier Molina (STL): A catcher legging out a go-ahead three-run triple is automatic grounds for at least an honorable mention, but Yadier Molina also banged out a double among his nine hits and drove in six runs for the first-place St. Louis Cardinals.
First Base: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds
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Joey Votto sealed his Team of the Week selection on Wednesday when he reached base an incredible nine times during a doubleheader with the Cubs, becoming just the fifth player in the last 20 years to do so, per the Elias Sports Bureau (via MLB.com's Mark Sheldon).
Overall, Votto went 14-for-26 this week with two doubles and two home runs.
"I've been working with [Cincinnati Reds hitting coach] Don Long to make some adjustments to what was a flawed swing," Votto said in the midst of his on-base barrage, per Sheldon. "I'm still kind of working through it. I feel like I'm headed in the right direction."
If this is Votto heading in the right direction, imagine what he'll do when he gets there.
Honorable Mention
Adrian Gonzalez (LAD): In a strong week for first basemen (the Kansas City Royals' Eric Hosmer also stuffed the stat sheet), Adrian Gonzalez collected 13 hits in 28 at-bats, including three home runs.
Second Base: Rougned Odor, Texas Rangers
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Rougned Odor's 2015 campaign began on an inauspicious note, to put it mildly, as CBS Sports' Chris Towers outlined:
"Odor's first month of the season was pretty much an unqualified disaster. He struck out in 24.2 percent of his plate appearances, homered just once and had more hit-by-pitches than extra-base hits; not a great sign. After a solid-but-unspectacular rookie season, Odor's sophomore slump left him looking completely lost, and hardly deserving of a spot in the majors.
"
The 21-year-old got hot before the break, however, and continued his roll this week, going 12-for-28 with two doubles, three triples and a pair of home runs.
The Texas Rangers are stuck under .500 and clinging to the fringes of the playoff race. Odor, on the other hand, is smelling like roses.
Honorable Mention
Ian Kinsler (DET): Speaking of bright spots on struggling teams, Ian Kinsler shone a little light in the Motor City this week, going 12-for-29 with four doubles and two home runs.
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Third Base: Jung Ho Kang, Pittsburgh Pirates
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With third baseman Josh Harrison and shortstop Jordy Mercer both on the disabled list, Jung Ho Kang has become a key cog for the Pittsburgh Pirates in their push for a third consecutive postseason appearance.
The Korean import figures to see more time at short now that the Pirates have acquired veteran third baseman Aramis Ramirez from the Milwaukee Brewers, as first reported by Craig Calcaterra of NBC Sports on Thursday.
Wherever he plays, Kang has shown what he's capable of at the plate this week, going 11-for-25 with four doubles and a home run.
Honorable Mention
Kyle Seager (SEA): The Seattle Mariners have gone just 3-4 since the break and remain stuck in fourth place in the American League West. At least Kyle Seager had himself a week, cracking three home runs and two doubles among his 10 hits.
Shortstop: Jose Iglesias, Detroit Tigers
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As the Tigers mull whether to buy, sell or stand pat at the trade deadline, Jose Iglesias reminded them that they're all set at shortstop.
Fresh off his first All-Star appearance, the slick-fielding 25-year-old went 10-for-22 with four doubles, a home run and four RBI.
Impending Tigers free agents like David Price and Yoenis Cespedes could be on the move. But it's a rock-solid bet Iglesias, who's under club control through 2018, is staying put.
Honorable Mention
Francisco Lindor (CLE): Francisco Lindor drew some criticism from manager Terry Francona for a defensive miscue, per Paul Hoynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group, but the Cleveland Indians rookie also went 10-for-27 with a home run, a double and three RBI.
Left Field: Michael Brantley, Cleveland Indians
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Michael Brantley had three doubles and two home runs and, most impressively, collected nine RBI, though the Indians managed to go just 3-3.
To what does Brantley attribute his RBI barrage?
"I try to get the runners in," he told the Northeast Ohio Media Group's Hoynes, "point blank and simple."
Fair enough.
Honorable Mention
Starling Marte (PIT): Starling Marte went 12-for-28 with two doubles and a triple, and he swiped three bases for good measure.
Center Field: Lorenzo Cain, Kansas City Royals
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After a strong showing in the All-Star Game, Lorenzo Cain kept his roll going this week.
The Kansas City Royals center fielder went 10-for-34 with three doubles and two home runs. He's now hitting .314 with an .867 OPS and has emerged as a "sleeper MVP candidate," as ESPN.com's David Schoenfield recently put it.
Mike Trout, the defending AL MVP, may have something to say about that. But the mere fact that Cain is in the conversation speaks volumes about where he's taken his game.
Honorable Mention
A.J. Pollock (ARI): The Arizona Diamondbacks have slithered sluggishly out of the break at 2-5, but A.J. Pollock did his part, going 11-for-27 with three doubles and a triple.
Right Field: Alex Rios, Kansas City Royals
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Another Kansas City outfielder cracks the list, and deservedly so.
While Alex Rios wasn't among the Royals' seven All-Star representatives, he played like one this week, going 12-for-28 with four doubles and a home run, raising his batting average nearly 30 points.
The Royals went 5-3 and still hold a commanding 6.5-game lead in the AL Central.
Honorable Mention
Kole Calhoun (LAA): The Los Angeles Angels sit in first place in the AL West after a 6-1 week. That's thanks in no small part to Kole Calhoun, who went 9-for-24 with three home runs and six RBI.
Designated Hitter: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
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The Boston Red Sox endured a miserable 0-7 week. They're the last-place team in the AL East, and that's exactly where they deserve to be.
A season that started off loaded with promise and expectation now appears destined to end in bitter disappointment.
So it feels superfluous to point out that David Ortiz went 7-for-27 with two home runs and four RBI.
But if you're grasping for positives, Boston fans, there you go.
Honorable Mention
Prince Fielder (TEX): Prince Fielder saw time at first base this week, but he still qualifies for Team of the Week at DH. Regardless, he padded his potential Comeback Player of the Year credentials with eight hits in 22 at-bats, including a double and a home run.
Pitcher: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
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With all the justified hype surrounding Zack Greinke's scoreless-innings streak, it's easy to forget the Los Angeles Dodgers have another pretty decent starting pitcher by the name of Clayton Kershaw.
The reigning NL MVP reminded everyone what he's capable of this week, twirling eight scoreless frames July 18 and then carrying a perfect game into the seventh in his next start Thursday before "settling" for a complete-game three-hitter. Oh, and he fanned 25 in those two starts combined.
In all, Kershaw has now tossed 29 consecutive shutout innings. Not quite up to Greinke's current mark of 43.2 innings without allowing a run, but gaining fast.
Still, Kershaw insists he's not motivated by a desire to upstage his rotation cohort.
"I don't compete against my teammates," he said after his latest gem, per MLB.com's Ken Gurnick. "Yeah, I try to copy Zack, the way he's throwing. I'm trying not to lower the bar."
Honorable Mention
Ervin Santana (MIN): Making his third and fourth starts of 2015 after serving an 80-game performance-enhancing drug suspension, Ervin Santana went 2-0 with 15.2 shutout innings of his own.
All statistics current as of July 23 and courtesy of MLB.com unless otherwise noted.
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