Yankees' Anthony Rizzo Named AL Player of the Week

A key slugger for the New York Yankees went on a tear last week.

On Monday, first baseman Anthony Rizzo was named the American League's Player of the Week, as he hit .407/.429/.926 with four home runs, seven RBI, and a 287 wRC+. Third baseman Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies was named the National League's Player of the Week.

Rizzo had struggled to begin the season prior to his dominant week-long performance. From March 28 to April 21, he had a meager slash line of .235/.316/.294 with an 85 wRC+; the slugging percentage looked especially bad, as he had just three extra-base hits and one home run.

But despite beginning the week with an 0-for-3 performance against the Oakland Athletics, Rizzo proceeded to flip his season upside down by heating up from April 23 to April 28. He hit home runs in consecutive games twice during the week, and had three multi-hit games; this included going 7-for-8 in his last two games against the Milwaukee Brewers. Entering Monday, Rizzo has repaired his slash line to .277/.341/.446 and a 131 wRC+.

The 34-year-old saved his best performance for last, going 4-for-4 on Sunday with three extra-base hits and finishing a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. He also achieved a career milestone, as he hit his 300th career home run in his last at-bat of the day.

Thanks to Rizzo's breakout, the Yankees have snapped out of an offensive funk and scored 36 runs in their series against the Brewers alone, including consecutive 15-run outings. Their record is now 19-10, with their 19 wins being tied for the most in MLB, and they currently lead the AL East by one game over the Baltimore Orioles.

New York will take on Baltimore in a huge four-game set at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, with the series beginning on Monday at 6:30 PM Eastern. With Rizzo and the lineup white hot, the Bronx Bombers should like their chances as they aim to deliver a statement against a strong rival.