Josh Bell is lighting up the diamond for the Pirates — and now he has an award to show for it. Monday, Bell was named the NL Player of the Week for May 13 – 19, becoming the first Pirates position player to earn the distinction since Andrew McCutchen in October 2017. It also mark's Bell's first time winning the award.
In 2018, only Jameson Taillon took home Player of the Week honors for the Pirates.
During Bell's recent stretch, the Pirates went 4-3 against the Diamondbacks and the Padres. Bell certainly did his part for the team, going 11-for-27 (.407) while adding four home runs, 10 RBIs, a double and four walks. His overall slash for the week was .407/.484/.889.
Bell hit two of those four home runs during Saturday's contest in San Diego, his third multi-homer game of the month. That feat put him with Brian Giles and Bob Skinner as the only players in team history to rack up three multi-homer games before June 1.
.@JBell_19's THIRD multi-HR game this month. 😱 pic.twitter.com/DCFPcaRSv3
— MLB (@MLB) May 19, 2019
Among NL leaders, Bell also led the way in total bases (24) and tied for first in hits, home runs and RBIs. His .889 slugging percentage ranked third for the week. As a nice touch, Bell also became just the second switch-hitter in Pirates history to notch three multi-home run games in a season, joining Bobby Bonilla, who did it in 1990.
Forty-four games into the season, these numbers are no fluke for Bell. While he'll likely cool off — he has to, right?! — Bell has put up MVP-caliber metrics since opening day. He's slashing .333/.404/.697 in 2019 and has hit 14 home runs — the most by any Pirates player through 44 games since Willie Stargell's 15 in 1973. Bell also leads the Major Leagues with 44 RBIs.
Congratulations @JBell_19 on being named the NL Player of the Week!
🔔 Hit .407 (11-for-27)
🔔 4 HRs
🔔 10 RBI
🔔 .484 OBP
🔔 .889 SLG pic.twitter.com/mPXOn9oGFN— Pirates (@Pirates) May 20, 2019
Bell and the Pirates return home to PNC Park Tuesday to face the Rockies after a successful, 11-game road trip that saw them go 7-4. I'll have all your coverage from the yard, beginning with lineups and a chat with Clint Hurdle after the clubhouse opens at 3:15 p.m.
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