White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Dodgers 1B/OF Cody Bellinger have earned Player of the Month honors for April, Major League Baseball just announced.
Anderson, 25, ended April batting .375/.394/.615 with six home runs and 18 RBI in 99 plate appearances. He was involved in a benches-clearing altercation with the Royals in mid-April after Brad Keller threw a fastball behind his back. Anderson apparently used some language that MLB didn’t like and received a one-game suspension.
Bellinger, 23, put together one of the best opening months in baseball history. He hit .431/.508/.890 with 14 home runs and 37 RBI in 132 plate appearances. Bellinger, Christian Yelich (2019), Álex Rodríguez (2007), and Albert Pujols (2006) are the only players to ever end April with 14 home runs. Bellinger was vying to become the first with 15, but went homerless in the final two games of the month.
Other monthly honors for April 2019:
- Pitchers of the Month: Tyler Glasnow (Rays), Luis Castillo (Reds)
- Rookies of the Month: Brandon Lowe (Rays), Pete Alonso (Mets)
- Relievers of the Month: Shane Greene (Tigers), Kirby Yates (Padres)