D-backs’ Goldschmidt named National League player of the month
Jul 2, 2018, 11:18 AM | Updated: 11:37 am
Arizona Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run off Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Chad Bettis during the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, June 9, 2018, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
(AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Paul Goldschmidt’s June resurgence has earned him another accolade.
Goldschmidt was named the National League player of the month for June. The Arizona Diamondbacks’ star showed life at the plate after two below average months to begin 2018.
The 30-year-old first baseman slashed .364/.460/.738 in June with 19 of his 39 hits going for extra bases. It was a stark comparison to the month of May, when Goldschmidt hit .144 and the D-backs’ won eight games.
The struggles have been well documented, but Goldschmidt’s re-emergence in June helped move the team back into first place of the NL west despite injuries to position players A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza Jr.
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Part of Goldschmidt’s success in June was cutting down on strikeouts. He still currently leads the league with 96 strikeouts, and has struck out in 31 percent of his at-bats in 2018. He reduced his strikeout rate to 23 percent in May, while also increasing his walks.
Goldschmidt is the D-backs’ second player of the month winner this season. A.J. Pollock won the award for his strong month of April. This is Goldschmidt’s first player of the month award win of his career.
The D-backs currently have a 2.5 game division lead on the Dodgers and Giants as the baseball calendar passes the halfway point.
