Two shortstops on the postseason bubble delivered exactly the kind of week that can change the conversation around a team, and both were rewarded for it. The Nationals’ CJ Abrams and the Astros’ Jeremy Peña took home the National League and American League Player of the Week honors, while Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner earned Play of the Week for a heads-up defensive gem.
Abrams was locked in from the start. He got a hit in all six games he played and had multiple hits in each of his last five.
Then came Sunday’s two-homer performance, pushing his total to five homers over the week and seven in his last seven games dating back to July 18. That run brought him to 27 home runs on the season, a Nationals record for a shortstop.
The power surge was part of a bigger July tear. Abrams has hit .397/.420/.836 this month with nine home runs and 22 RBIs, and his 229 wRC+ has made him MLB’s most productive hitter in July by that measure.
It also marked the second Player of the Week award of his career, with the first coming on July 15, 2023, shortly after his second All-Star selection. With his name buzzing ahead of next Monday’s Trade Deadline, the question now is whether he’ll keep doing it in a Washington uniform.
Peña matched the pace from the other side of the league. He opened the week with homers in three straight games, then followed that by collecting three hits in three consecutive games before finishing with a two-homer day of his own.
That stretch extended his hitting streak to eight games. Trade talk has followed him, too, but he looks far more likely to stay put on an Astros club that is surging.
Since July 10, Peña has hit .419/.447/.767 with five home runs after missing time with injury. On the season, he’s up to an .877 OPS and 11 homers in just 59 games.
Hoerner’s award came on the defensive side, and it was a beauty. Earlier this year, he won Play of the Week with a between-the-legs flip for an out at first base.
This time, he flashed both range and awareness. From second base on Friday, he dove to his right to stop a Nick Gonzales ground ball, stretching out just behind shortstop Dansby Swanson.
He had no chance to throw Gonzales out, but he did keep Ryan O’Hearn from scoring from second in a 0-0 game.
Then came the extra layer. Hoerner immediately threw to Alex Bregman at third base, and O’Hearn was caught taking a wide turn away from the bag.
Bregman ran him down for the third out. The Cubs went on to win 3-2 in extras, helped along by plays like that one.
In Other News...
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For the Astros, the larger issue is what comes next with Pea and whether the front office views this as a hold-and-hope situation or a chance to act before the decision gets harder. Houston has to weigh the value of keeping a player with real appeal on the trade market against the risk of letting the clock run, and that kind of calculation can quickly reshape the conversation around the rosters direction. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Make Rotation Move As Pressure Builds On Unsettled Staff
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The move still requires a corresponding roster decision, since Houston must option a pitcher even with a vacancy available on the 40-man roster. And while Wesneskis return adds depth, it also comes against a backdrop of uncertainty around the back end of the rotation, where Imais spot has been under scrutiny and the Astros are expected to keep looking for help on the trade market. [Read more 🡒]
Astros Suddenly Face A Rotation Decision They Can't Ignore
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What makes the situation more pressing is that the Astros do not appear ready to lock in his next turn just yet, leaving the rotation picture unsettled at a time when every start matters. Espada said the club has discussed Imais challenges and is weighing alternatives, including the possibility of other arms taking on a bigger role, while the broader question of how to handle a pitcher with this much inconsistency hangs over the staff. For Houston, this is no longer just about one rough stretch - it is about deciding how long they can afford to wait. [Read more 🡒]