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Red Sox Strut: Mookie Betts, Craig Kimbrel earn top honors of the week

By Sean Penney

Apr 23, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts (50) is greeted by shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) after hitting a three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 23, 2017; Baltimore, MD, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Mookie Betts (50) is greeted by shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) after hitting a three-run home run against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports /
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Apr 29, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) hits a single against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2017; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (50) hits a single against the Chicago Cubs during the eighth inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports /

Position Player who gets to Strut

As solid as those candidates have been, no Red Sox hitter deserves to strut this week more than Mookie Betts.

After a relatively slow start to the season by his lofty standards, Betts is heating up in May. He’s 9-for-24 at the plate, hitting .375 over the last six games.

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Over the past seven days, Betts either leads the league or has a share of the lead in doubles (4), home runs (3), RBI (11), slugging (.917) and OPS (1.399).

Just as the lineup changes have worked out for Pedroia, returning to the top spot of the order seems to be agreeing with Betts. It’s not that he was terrible batting third earlier this season, but he’s been otherworldly since he was moved to the lead-off spot. Betts is hitting .343/.439/.829 with four home runs in 35 at-bats at the top of the lineup.

You would think that batting third would provide him with more RBI opportunities, yet his 12 RBIs from the lead-off spot are only one shy of what he knocked in from the No. 3 spot in nearly triple the amount of at-bats.

Betts was named as the AL Player of the Week, making him the obvious choice to Strut this week.

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