Bo Bichette, Freddie Freeman Named AL, NL Players of the Week

Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman were named American League and National League Players of the Week Monday for the week of September 5 through September 11.

Over six games, Freeman slashed .546/.593/1.638 with three home runs and eight RBI, as the Dodgers won four of six.

Freeman is now batting .331/.403/.930 with 19 home runs, 90 RBI and 11 stolen bases in his first season of his six-year, $162 million contract with the Dodgers.

Last week, radio host Doug Gottlieb admitted he was wrong, after initially reporting that Freeman’s agent Casey Close hadn’t been honest with the slugger during his free agent negotiations with the Atlanta Braves last spring.

Over the past week, Bichette slashed .500/.529/1.686 with five home runs and 13 RBI, as his team won five of seven.

Bichette continued to rake Monday night in the Blue Jays’ 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and a home run.

With their win at the Rogers Centre Monday night, the Blue Jays passed the Rays and moved into a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the top American League Wild Card spot. Both teams are now 0.5 games up on the Rays. The Rays and Blue Jays have four games remaining in a five-game series in Toronto this week.

The Rays, Blue Jays and Mariners have a comfortable lead over the rest of the American League pack with just three weeks remaining in the regular season. After dropping their last two games, the Baltimore Orioles are now 5.5 games back of the final American League wild card spot.