Hiram Moreno
The fourth month of the Major League Baseball campaign has been completed, and we are getting closer and closer to the postseason. Several baseball players had good performances in July, but only one of them was able to win the award for the best player of the year. July Player of the Month in the MLB is a recognition that rewards consistency throughout the days.
This time in JefeBet we present the players who won the MLB Player of the Month award for July.
MLB Player of the Month of July
American League: Aaron Judge (Outfielder, Yankees)
Aaron Judge continues to collect honors and merit his way to the American League MVP title with his second “Player of the Month” award so far this season.
The “Judge” earned the award for his hitting, as his impressive performance in July saw him increase his lead in the Major League Baseball in the homeruns connected and runs batted in (43 and 93, respectively) as he recorded 13 homers and 32 RBIs during the month. He even went to the All-Star Game after hitting 33 homers in the first half of the season, equaling a franchise record set in 1961 by Roger Maris.
It is worth mentioning that, with this award, Judge becomes the first Yankee to win the Player of the Month award twice in the same MLB season, as the last baseball player to achieve this record was precisely himself in 2017.
National League: Austin Riley (Third Base, Braves)
The recognition in the National League went to Austin Riley, who had a historic performance in July not only personally, but also for the Atlanta Braves. With this, Riley became the first Braves player to win this award since Ronald Acuña Jr. won the award in April 2021.
Riley’s numbers in July were exorbitant, with a .423/.459/.885 batting average along with 11 homers, 25 RBIs and 21 runs scored in 26 games. In addition, a double during the last day of July saw him make history by becoming the Braves’ player with the most extra-base hits in a single month in history with a total of 26, surpassing the record set in 1961 by Hank Aaron (25).
These efforts were rewarded, as the Braves extended Riley’s contract for ten years and $212 million. –the best contract in franchise history– and the team also posted an 18-8 record for the month that moved it closer to the top of the National League East division.
MLB Pitcher of the Month of July
American League: Dylan Cease (White Sox)
Dylan Cease returns to win this award for the second consecutive month. Thus, the White Sox starter has earned his second award of this kind in his career, and becomes the first to win back-to-back Pitcher of the Month awards since José Contreras in September 2005 and April 2006, although Cease is the first to win in the same season.
Cease’s six openings this month were of superb quality, and finished July allowing only three runs and 24 hits in 35.2 innings for a 0.76 ERA.He also struck out 40 batters in the process and increased his chances of being named Cy Young at the end of the season.
National League: Merrill Kelly (D-Backs)
Merrill Kelly will remember this month of July after his superior performance, which saw him earn his first Pitcher of the Month award in his baseball career, and also became the first D-Backs player to receive this award since Zack Greinke in July 2018.
Kelly was unhittable for the entire month, holding opponents to a mere .168 batting average, and his ERA for the month was 1.31 after 41.1 innings, and his six starts saw him pitch at least 6.0 innings.
MLB Rookie of the Month of July
American League: José Miranda (Twins)
José Miranda becomes with this award the Twins’ first Rookie of the Month since Miguel Sanó in August 2015. The 24-year-old hit .353/.405/.603 with five homers and 19 RBIs in 20 games during July.
He also connected for three hits in three consecutive games between July 24 and July 27, becoming the first Minnesota rookie to accomplish that feat since July 2010, when Danny Valencia connected for three hits in four consecutive games.
National League: Spencer Strider (Braves)
With Spencer Strider winning this award, the Atlanta Braves have seen two of their players win the award in consecutive months, as Michael Harris II earning the recognition in June, which bodes well for the franchise’s prosperous future. It is also the first time this award has gone consecutively to a Braves’ player since April-May 2013, when Evan Gattis achieved it in consecutive months.
Strider had a 2.70 ERA in 26.2 innings pitched during the month spread over a total of five starts, two of which saw him strike out more than ten batters. In fact, this helped him become the first pitcher in franchise history to record three starts of at least 10 strikeouts in his first eight career major league starts (vs. Nationals, Reds, and Cardinals).
MLB Reliever of the Month of July
American League: Jordan Romano (Blue Jays)
Jordan Romano earned the second Reliever of the Month award of his career with this new recognition, and the first of these awards being precisely in this same campaign during the month of April. Besides, he is the first Blue Jays pitcher to earn this distinction since B.J. Ryan in 2008.
In 10 appearances with the Blue Jays during the month, Romano had a 0.84 ERA and did not waste any of his seven save opportunities, allowing just four hits and one clean run in the process. All of this helped him remain the league leader in saves and become the first pitcher in the franchise to record 20 saves before the All-Star Game break.
National League: Edwin Díaz (Mets)
Edwin Díaz has been a recurring recipient of these awards during his career, with this being his seventh in the Major Leagues. Not only that, but it’s the second in a row after also getting it in June, and now the Puerto Rican is the first reliever to earn this distinction in consecutive months since Josh Hader in May-June 2019.
In 11 appearances during the month, Díaz did not allow a single run and converted all seven of his save opportunities, striking out a total of 25 batters over 11.1 innings. Díaz has also struck out 52.5% of the batters he has faced, which isthe highest strikeout percentage for a reliever in his first 42 appearances in an MLB season ever.
