Charlie Blackmon Named National League Player of the Week

Just how nasty was Chuck Nazty last week for the Colorado Rockies? Nasty enough that all of Major League Baseball took notice of the incredible hot streak that Charlie Blackmon pieced together.

Colorado’s All-Star center fielder was named National League Player of the Week for the period ending August 14. The announcement was made on Monday on MLB Network.

In seven games last week, Blackmon led Major League Baseball with seven home runs, 13 runs scored, 18 hits, a 1.313 slugging percentage and 42 total bases. He also tied for first with a .563 (18-for-32) batting average.

Blackmon paced the National League with nine RBI and posted the National League’s highest on-base percentage (.600).

Blackmon homered twice in Sunday’s 7-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Those blasts gave him five home runs in the three-game series after he had hit three in a losing effort on Friday.

The five-homer series tied a club record for home runs in a series, matching Todd Helton’s 1999 feat at home against the Montreal Expos. It also was the first time that a player had hit as many home runs during a single series played at Citizens Bank Park (Elias Sports Bureau). Nine others, including Chase Utley (twice) and Jayson Werth (twice), have hit four home runs during a single series at the ballpark, which opened in 2004.

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Friday’s three-homer performance was a career-high for the 30-year-old Blackmon, a native of Texas currently in his sixth season in the Majors.

On the second pitch of Thursday’s game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Park, Blackmon clubbed his Major League-leading eighth leadoff homer of the season. That shot helped set the tone for an eventual 12-9 Colorado victory. It was his second leadoff homer of the week after breaking his own single-season team record of six leadoff homers in his first at-bat in Tuesday’s 7-5 home loss to the Rangers.

The 2014 National League All-Star’s 20 career leadoff homers are a Rockies’ franchise record. His 20 home runs as a leadoff hitter are the most in the National League this year. Additionally, Blackmon’s .324 batting average ranks fifth among qualifying National League hitters.

This is his fourth career Player of the Week Award and second this season. Blackmon was previously honored for the weeks ending June 26, 2016; April 6, 2014; and September 22, 2013.

Next: 4 Takes From Colorado Being Swept in Philly

Charlie Blackmon will be honored with a watch in recognition of his National League Player of the Week Award.