Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano has been named the American League Player of the Week for May 2-8 after hitting .516 with eight runs scored, four homers, nine RBIs and a 1.516 OPS in seven games against the Oakland Athletics and Houston Astros. Cano hit safely in all, collecting multi-hits in five.
This is Cano’s first AL weekly honor of the season and first as a Mariner, but the seventh in his career. Cano is Seattle’s first AL Player of the Week since Hisashi Iwakuma won in August. Cano also won in 2005, 2007 (twice), 2010 and 2012, all with the New York Yankees.
In seven games ending Sunday, Canó led the majors with 16 hits, a 1.516 OPS, 31 total bases and was tied for the MLB lead with a 1.000 slugging percentage. Cano also ranked second in MLB with a .516 batting average, T2 with seven extra-base hits and two game-winning RBIs.
In 31 games, Canó is batting .305 with 20 runs, six doubles, 12 home runs, 33 RBIs, a .355 on-base percentage, a .633 slugging percentage and a .988 OPS. Canó leads MLB in RBIs and is tied for the lead in home runs with Colorado’s Nolan Arenado. He also is working on an eight-game hitting streak.
Cano and the Mariners (18-13), a half-game ahead of Texas in the AL West race, begin a three-game stand at Safeco Field Monday at 7:10 p.m. against the Tampa Bay Rays. RHP Felix Hernandez (2-2, 2.21) will pitch for Seattle opposite LHP Matt Moore (1-3, 4.95).