Josh Bell slugs his way to National League Player of the Week honor
First baseman Josh Bell, whose 14 home runs in the first 44 games of the season are the most by a Pittsburgh Pirates player since Hall of Famer Willie Stargell hit 15 in 1973, was named National League Player of the Week. It is the first such honor for a Pirates position player since the final days of Andrew McCutchen’s time in Pittsburgh, ending Oct. 2, 2017.
Pirates pitcher Jameson Taillon won the award last year.
In seven games last week, Bell hit .407 with four home runs and a double among his 11 hits, 10 RBIs, six runs and four walks. He was first in the National League in total bases (24) and tied for the lead in hits, home runs and RBIs.
His two-homer game Saturday in San Diego was histhird of the season. He also did it May 4 and May 14. He became the second switch-hitter in franchise history with three in a season, joining Bobby Bonilla (1990). He is also the first Pirates player since Brian Giles (August, 1999) to record three multi-homer games in a month and the first since Bob Skinner in 1959 to do it three times before June 1.
Jerry DiPaola is a TribLive reporter covering Pitt athletics since 2011. A Pittsburgh native, he joined the Trib in 1993, first as a copy editor and page designer in the sports department and later as the Pittsburgh Steelers reporter from 1994-2004. He can be reached at jdipaola@triblive.com.
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