Last week, Colton Cowser was named AL Player of the Week. Just a week later, the award is given to Jordan Westburg. On a team full of offensive stalwarts, Westburg if finally getting a little recognition for his performance. Over the past week, Westburg has two home runs, a stolen base, six RBIs, and eight hits. Westburg also recorded a .478 average, a 1.413 OPS, and five extra-base hits. These stats made him more than deserving to earn AL Player of The Week.
Orioles Third Baseman Receives AL Player of The Week Following Teammate Colton Cowser
Two in a row! Westburg follows Cowser as American League Player of the Week https://t.co/JnBIhrbMww
— Rich DubroffMLB (@RichDubroffMLB) April 22, 2024
Westburg is certainly a player that isn’t talked about enough. He definitely deserves more credit and respect for the impressive numbers he has put up. He’s been underestimated, but those days are over now. The manager of the Orioles must be proud as Cowser, and now Westburg is your back-t0-back AL Players of The Week. This is just the third time that back-to-back Orioles players have won AL Player of the Week.
These two players are quite alike in the numbers they have put up in the past 20 games. Through 20 games Westburg has recorded .333 AVG, five home runs, 18 RBIs, three stolen bases, a 1.031 OPS, a 1.3 bWAR. For Cowser: a .373 AVG, 5 home runs, 16 RBIs, 3 stolen bases, a 1.195 OPS, and a 1.0 bWAR. It’s the first time two Orioles have won the award in back-to-back weeks since Eddie Murray. He did it in 1981 all by himself. He’s also been called the most reliable player on the team.
A Face Among the Crowd Getting Recognition
Westburg surely has a higher ceiling than many people think. He can become a top-five player at third base and possibly a multiple-time All-Star if his power continues to trend upward. For a team filled with stars like Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, with top prospects all over the roster, Westburg is getting recognition after hitting at every level. He spent time with the Norfolk Tides when he was in the minors, and even in the minors, he showed 30 home runs power, and he can play three infield positions.
When you have a stacked lineup with multiple pools of offensive talent, it can be hard to focus on just one player, but Westburg deserves more attention.
