Ben Rice and James Wood didn’t let the All-Star break cool them off.
The Yankees first baseman and Nationals outfielder were rewarded Monday as the latest AL and NL Player of the Week winners after each put together another blistering stretch just before the Midsummer Classic.
Rice, in his third season and making his first All-Star appearance, went 11-for-26 with five homers, 12 RBIs and a 1.577 OPS over seven games for New York. The Yankees finished the first half with a 5-2 week, and Rice’s surge has been a big reason why he’s become their most dangerous bat with Aaron Judge out for the past six weeks because of a rib injury.
The 26-year-old is also set for a busy week in Philadelphia. He’ll take part in Monday’s Home Run Derby, then start at first base for the American League after top vote-getter Vladimir Guerrero Jr. chose to rest his ailing back.
Rice’s season line now sits at .279/.372/.599 with 29 homers, 68 RBIs and 2.8 WAR in 91 games.
Wood has been just as loud at the plate. The two-time All-Star went 10-for-20 with five homers, eight RBIs and 11 runs scored in six games, pushing his season totals to a .279 average with 28 homers and 64 RBIs.
He also leads the National League in runs with 89, on-base percentage at .410, slugging at .575, OPS at .984 and OPS+ at 171.
This is Wood’s second Player of the Week Award of the season. He first won the honor on April 13.
The week’s repeat-winner theme extended to the field as well. Phillies outfielder Derek Hill picked up his second Play of the Week award this season for a diving catch Saturday that robbed Tigers infielder Zach McKinstry of extra bases.
In Other News...
Yankees Sweep Left Nationals Fans With One Big First Half Debate
The first half ended with an uncomfortable reminder of how far the Nationals still have to go, even after a season that has offered more progress than most expected. A three-game sweep by the Yankees at Nationals Park sent Washington into the All-Star break with a sour finish, but it did not erase the fact that the club reached 48 wins before the break, matching a franchise mark it had only reached once outside of 2017.
James Wood and CJ Abrams have helped give the lineup a more dangerous core, and there are nights when that growth shows up clearly enough to make the bigger picture look encouraging. The problem, as the Yankees exposed again, is how little margin the roster has when the bullpen is asked to cover for a thin lineup and a staff that cannot always carry the load on its own. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Fans Just Got Another Rochester Move To Worry About
Rochesters trip through the International League has become the kind of thing Nationals fans have learned to watch closely, and Friday night brought another reminder why. The Red Wings fell 6-5 in 10 innings to Worcester after a late bullpen stumble, while Harrisburg dropped a 3-2 decision in 10 and Wilmington also came up short, leaving Fredericksburg as the lone affiliate to finish on the right side of the scoreboard with an 8-6 win over Myrtle Beach.
Amid the results, Rochester also got a roster tweak that fits the usual midseason churn around the system, with left-hander Erik Tolman activated from the Development List and added to the club. Those moves matter because every shuffle at Triple-A can ripple back to Washington, especially when the Red Wings are trying to steady a staff that has been asked to cover a lot of ground lately. [Read more 🡒]
Nationals Suddenly Face A Tough Robert Hassell Decision Before The Deadline
Robert Hassell IIIs path through the Nationals organization has taken another turn, and it comes at a time when every roster move feels tied to the bigger deadline picture. Washington designated the former top prospect for assignment on July 5, and the move quickly shifted the conversation from his long-term development to what kind of short-term value he might still carry for a club looking to shore up its bullpen.
Hassell is still in the organization after clearing waivers and being sent to Triple-A Rochester, but that does not mean his name is out of the rumor mill. The Nationals could still view him as a possible trade piece if they decide to chase relief help before the deadline, though his market is murky after the recent setback. For a player once seen as a significant part of the return in the James Wood deal, the next step may say as much about Washingtons bullpen needs as it does about Hassells future. [Read more 🡒]