The MLBbros decided to turn Week 12 of the season into a seven-day Home Run Derby.  They hit a pair of grand slams while mixing in a few game-winning homers in between.

Michael Brantley, however, takes the top spot on our High Five list after batting .500 during the Houston Astros’ current 10-game winning streak and taking the top spot in the race for baseball’s batting title.

 

1.Michael Brantley

If the season ended today, Michael Brantley would take home Major League Baseball’s batting championship, and right now it’s not even close.  His .356 average is .16 higher than the closest player.

On June 8, he returned to play after missing time with an injury and he’s lived up to his nickname, “The Professional” at the plate since. 

In his last seven games, he is batting .400 with a.500 OBP, 12 hits, nine RBI, six runs and three walks.

 

 

Brantley has been the main catalyst in the resurgence of Dusty Baker’s Astros this season.  During their four-game sweep of Tim Anderson and the White Sox last weekend, Brantley was 5-for-16 with six RBI, a double, triple and a three-run home run.

 

 

Brantley is also the American League leader in doubles and heads to the Motor City this weekend for a four-game set against the Tigers.

2. Tony Kemp

 

Tony Kemp played a lot bigger than his 5-foot-6 frame this week, earning the second spot on our High Five list.

In 35 games since May 8, when Kemp was hitting .190, he is 34-for-95 with a .358 batting average.  He has seven doubles, two triples and four home runs in that span.

Two of those homers came last weekend in the Bronx.  In the sixth inning of Friday night’s game, he hit what would end up being a game-winning three-run home run.  He would then follow up with a first-inning shot the next day.

 

 

He has hits in seven of his last eight games and has worked him into an everyday spot in a dangerous Athletics lineup. 

 

 

This weekend, he takes on the first-place San Francisco Giants in a battle for the Bay Area.

3. Shed Long Jr.


Two game-winning home runs have Mariners’ second baseman Shed Long Jr. in the third spot on our High Five list.  It’s going to be hard to find someone who gave a better Father’s Day gift than Shed did.

His first home run of the season came by way of a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning against the defending American League champion Tampa Bay Rays.

 

 

He proved lighting strikes twice on Tuesday when he launched a game-winning solo home run in the 8th inning against the Colorado Rockies.

 

 

Long has eight RBI in his last seven games with a .609 Slugging Percentage.  Injuries have played a major role in the Mariners’ season, including to Shed but he’s getting playing time now and making the most of it.  Seattle will have a fun matchup this weekend as they play on the South Side of Chicago.

4. Cedric Mullins

 

I may never watch baseball again if Cedric Mullins is not an All-Star this season.  He’s been doing everything he can to climb up the top of the fan vote, but with a few outfielders currently sidelined with injury, he could easily find himself starting the game in center.

In a weekend series against May’s American League Player of the Month Marcus Semien and the Blue Jays,  Mullins added to his legend in the Charm City.  He hit four home runs and had six RBI in a two-day span.

 

 

This month, Cedric is 26-for-73 with a .356 batting average, five doubles, seven home runs and 12 RBI.  He now sits ninth in the Majors in batting average.  His O’s will get their shot at revenge against Semien and the Blue Jays after they lost last weekend’s series.

 

5. J.P. Crawford

 

The Gold Glover takes the five spot on this week’s #HighFive list, but it has everything to do with his performance at the plate.

Last week, he was named our Home Boi Highlight after riding an eight-game hitting streaking with a .351 average with seven RBI, six runs and two home runs including a grand slam Saturday night in the Mariners Seattle Steelhead Negro League throwback jerseys.

 

 

Crawford’s hitting streak reached 10 games after going 2-for-4 with a double Wednesday night.  During that span, he has four multi-hit games and eight runs batted in.  All signs are beginning to point to him being named the Mariners’ representative for this year’s All-Star game in Denver.

 

 

Last year’s Gold Glove award winner at shortstop deserves his shine and his chance to showcase his talents on one of the biggest stages in baseball.

This weekend’s Mariners vs. White Sox matchup will feature two of the most exciting shortstops in the game, J.P. and former batting champion Tim Anderson who just celebrated his 28th birthday on June 23.

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