#HIGHFIVE | Top Black & brown MLB Players (Week 10)

Few people on this planet play the game of baseball better than Byron Buxton.  The five-tool outfielder for the Minnesota Twins has been a constant force for the team everyday he is penciled in the lineup.  He takes the top spot in Week 10 of our #HighFive List after winning the American League Player of the Week award for the second time in his career.

1. Byron Buxton

 

“I’m just trying to go up there and hit line drives through the ball,” Buxton told reporters.  “Through it, not over it. Just stick with that kind of mentality.  They just keep carrying it a little bit further.”

Buxton now has 18 home runs this season tying him for second most with reigning Home Run Derby Champion Pete Alonso.

Byron Buxton was named the American League Player of the Week after hitting five home runs with an OPS of 1.095, seven RBI with an average of .333.

One statistic that shows Buxton’s speed and power is his 44 home runs since he last grounded into a double play – most homers between a double play since they began being tracked in 1940.

Buxton has five home runs, eight RBI, seven runs scored and a .240 average over his last seven games.

After helping the Twins win two out of three games against J.P. Crawford and the Seattle Mariners will take Minnesota to the desert for a weekend series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

2. Michael Brantley

 

Michael Brantley is batting .429 through the first two weeks plus of June and has a hit in every game helping him earn the second spot on our #HighFive List.

The five-time All-Star has put himself in the elite category of hitters throughout his career.  He is one of the only players to have a batting average .300 for the last four consecutive seasons – and hit .299 in 2017.

 

This season Brantley has drawn more walks (28) than strikeouts (24) so far. Over his last seven games he’s hitting .385 with four RBI, four walks and six runs scored. This weekend Brantley and his Astros welcome the Chicago White Sox into Houston.

 

3. Aaron Judge

 

Just keep the “All Rise” soundbite on loop for the rest of the season.  Major League Baseball’s current home run leader continued the campaign for the first MVP award of his career this week earning him the third spot on our #HighFive List.

Judge hit his 25th home run of the season Wednesday night off of American League Cy Young contender Shane McClanahan. Judge iss officially on pace for 65 home runs, just seven less than Barry Bonds 73 in 2001.

He has homered in six of his last 11 games and became just the second player to hit 100 home runs in the current Yankee Stadium.  Only Mark Teixeira has more (113). On his current pace, Judge could officially become that stadium’s home run king by July.

 

 

Judge is batting .296 with three home runs, four RBI and seven runs over his last seven games.

This weekend, Judge and the Yankees have a huge series in Toronto against the Blue Jays.

 

4. Taijuan Walker

 

Taijuan Walker deserves some respect on his name after his 10-strikeout performance against the Angels on Sunday Night Baseball this past weekend.

Walker went six innings, allowing just one earned run on six hits during his third start on the Mets west coast road trip. Those 10 K’s were the most for Walker since 12 last June.

 

The 2021 All-Star has been solid on the mound this season. He’s got an 3.08 ERA with 35 strikeouts and a 4-2 record for a Mets rotation that has been hampered early with injuries.

If you take away a rough outing against the Phillies back in May, Walker’s ERA would be at 2.44 and he would probably be getting major consideration for his second-consecutive All-Star berth.

Walker’s next start will come Saturday at Citi Field against the Jazz Chisholm Jr. and the Miami Marlins.

5. George Springer

 

George Springer had reached base safely in 24 consecutive games, before the streak was snapped Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles.

It was the longest streak in the Majors at the time. Despite it being snapped, Springer is still having one of the best comeback seasons in baseball.

Due to injuries, Springer only played in 78 games last season which was his lowest total since his debut season in 2014.

Baseball’s most explosive leadoff hitter is on track to make his fourth-career All-Star team as he is batting .271 with 12 home runs and 33 RBI as he tries to keep a Blue Jays team that came into the season with high expectations above water.

 

This weekend Springer and his Jays have a huge matchup with #HighFive member Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees.