Michael Brantley named American League Player of the Week

Michael Brantley has been named American League Player of the Week, after hitting 538/.625/.885, good for a wRC+ of 324. That batting average, on-base percentage, and wRC+ all led the league, as did his 14 hits and 9 runs scored. He had at least one hit in all seven games, and multiple hits in six of them. On Monday he tied the Indians' franchise record by scoring 5 runs, plus he scored the game winner on Saturday and put the Tribe ahead with an early home run on Sunday.

Brantley (who is also running away with the voting for Indians Player of the Week) is having a breakout season, having already set a new career high with 11 home runs, to go with 9 stolen bases, 49 runs scored, and 46 RBI. His .323 batting average makes him a contender for the batting title, and his 160 wRC+ ranks 5th in the league. He should be a lock for the All-Star Game at this point, and there's a good case to be made that he deserves to be starting along with Mike Trout and Jose Bautista in the AL outfield.

Brantley is the first Indians player to be honored as AL Player of the Week since Jason Kipnis late last June. That was the second time Kipnis took the prize last season, as he'd also shared the award with teammate Corey Kluber just two weeks earlier. Justin Masterson and Ryan Raburn also won it earlier last season, making 2013 the team's best year for Player of the Week winners since the honor was created in 2003.

Here is every AL Player of the Week from the Indians:

2014: Michael Brantley

2013: Jason Kipnis (once alone, once shared), Corey Kluber (shared), Justin Masterson, Ryan Raburn

2012: no one

2011: Asdrubal Cabrera (shared)

2010: Shin-Soo Choo (twice)

2009: no one

2008: Asdrubal Cabrera (shared), CC Sabathia

2007: Casey Blake, Fausto Carmona (shared), CC Sabathia

2006: Ben Broussard (shared), Travis Hafner (shared)

2005: Coco Crisp, Travis Hafner, Victor Martinez

2004: Victor Martinez (once alone, once shared) Jake Westbrook

2003: Casey Blake