Mariners’ Paxton selected AL Player of Week

The American League Monday named Mariners LHP James Paxton as its Player of the Week for April 10-16. It marks the first career Player of the Week honor for Paxton, who  won two shutouts with a combined 17 strikeouts against Houston and Texas. He allowed six hits over his two outings.

During the week, Paxton led all MLB pitchers in ERA and innings (15) and has 22 strikeouts in three starts. His 21 consecutive shutout innings to start the season are a Mariners record, surpassing Mark Lowe (17.2 in 2006) for the overall mark, and topping Felix Hernandez’s (17.2 in 2007) mark for a starting pitcher.

He also has at least six shutout innings in each of his three starts, becoming the 10^th pitcher since 1900 to begin season with three consecutive starts of 6.0+ scoreless frames. He joins George McQuillan-PHI (1907), Lefty Leifield-PIT (1907), Ray Caldwell-NYY (1914), George Mogridge-NYY (1916), Harry Brecheen-STL (1948), Luis Tiant-CLE (1966), Tommy Greene-PHI (1991), Woody Williams-STL (2003) and Jordan Zimmerman-DET (2016).

This is the first Player of the Week honor won by a Mariners pitcher since RHP Hisashi Iwakuma Aug. 17, 2015. The last left-handed pitcher to earn a Player of the Week honor for Seattle was Randy Johnson June 9, 1997.

The Mariners (5-8), who completed a sweep of the Texas Rangers Sunday, begin a three-game set with the Miami Marlins (7-5) at 7:10 p.m. Monday at Safeco Field. Ariel Miranda (0-1) will throw for Seattle opposite Tom Koehler (0-0).