Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Bowden Francis was named the American League Player of the Week for the week of August 12-18, 2024 on Monday. Francis was spectacular in his two starts for the Blue Jays, allowing just one earned run in 14 innings and posting a 0.64 earned run average. In the two games, a 4-2 Blue Jays win over the Los Angeles Angels on Monday and a 1-0 Blue Jays win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday, Francis allowed four hits and zero walks and recorded 15 strikeouts.
Francis is the second American League pitcher to win the Player of the Week award this year, the first being Houston Astros starting pitcher Ronel Blanco, who received the award for throwing a no-hitter against the Blue Jays on April 1.
Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of Montreal, Quebec, was named American League Player of the Week twice this season. The first time from June 24-30 and the second time from July 29-August 4. From June 24-30, Guerrero Jr. batted .500 (13 hits in 26 at-bats) with six runs scored, four home runs, five doubles and 17 runs batted in. From July 29-August 4, he batted .536 (15 hits in 28 at-bats) with eight runs scored, seven doubles, three home runs and eight runs batted in.
Two other Canadians were honored with American League Player of the Week awards this year. Cleveland Guardians first baseman Josh Naylor of Toronto, Ontario, was honored for the week of June 17-23, and Boston Red Sox outfielder Tyler O’Neill of Burnaby, British Columbia, was honored for the week of July 22-28. Naylor batted .400 during the week of June. He had 10 hits in 25 at bats, seven runs, three doubles, three home runs and eight runs batted in. O’Neill batted .360 with nine hits in 25 at bats during his strong week of July. He scored five runs and had three doubles, four home runs and eight runs batted in.
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