A’s Montas named American League Player of the Week

Starting pitcher Frankie Montas was named the American League Player of the Week on Monday after he helped the red-hot Oakland A’s win two games last week.

On Aug. 3, Montas allowed one run with nine strikeouts in seven innings in what became an 11-1 win by the A’s over the Seattle Mariners. On Saturday against the Houston Astros, Montas threw seven shutout innings, allowing only two hits and no walks with five strikeouts as he improved his record this season to 2-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.57.

For the week, Montas went 2-0 and allowed just one run, six hits and four walks over 14 innings.

This is the first career Player of the Week award for Montas, 27, who was suspended for 80 games last season for violating Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

Among qualified American League pitchers this year, Montas ranks third this season in innings pitched (23.0), fourth in ERA, and tied for seventh in opponents batting average (.175).

The A’s, who have a nine-game winning streak and hold a five-game lead in the AL West, begin an eight-game road trip Monday night in Anaheim against the Angels.

Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres was named the National League Players of the Week after he hit .435 with six home runs and nine RBI in six games.