MLB Player of the Month Highlights: July 2026

Esmerlyn Valdez delivered a power-packed July for the Pirates, slashing .267 with a 1.040 OPS over 28 games. He clubbed 11 home runs and drove in 33 runs while drawing 18 walks. His standout performance came on a 3-for-4 night with two homers and six RBI against the Milwaukee Brewers in a 7-6 Pittsburgh victory. Valdez added five doubles and scored 20 runs, showing plate discipline despite 42 strikeouts. The young right fielder’s hot streak highlighted his growing impact in the middle of the order.

James Wood posted a .290 average and 1.093 OPS in 25 games for the Nationals. He hit nine home runs, stole four bases, and walked 25 times. Wood’s best outing was a 2-for-4, two-homer, three-RBI performance against the Arizona Diamondbacks in a 10-7 Washington win. He scored 26 runs while striking out just 27 times, showcasing strong plate discipline and speed. The left fielder’s combination of power and on-base skills stood out during the month.

CJ Abrams hit .341 with a 1.125 OPS across 24 games. The shortstop launched 10 home runs, swiped six bases, and posted a .341 average. His top game featured a 2-for-3 effort with two homers and four RBI versus the Colorado Rockies. Abrams scored 17 runs and drove in 23 while striking out 22 times. The Nationals infielder combined power, speed, and contact skills effectively throughout July.

Yordan Alvarez posted a .364 average and 1.183 OPS in 24 games for the Astros. He hit nine home runs, drove in 22 runs, and walked 17 times while striking out only 18. Alvarez’s best game was a 3-for-4, two-homer, six-RBI outing against the Tampa Bay Rays in a 10-8 Houston win. The designated hitter delivered elite contact and power during his strong July stretch.

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit .286 with a 1.021 OPS in 25 games. The Cubs center fielder added eight doubles, six home runs, and six stolen bases. His highlight was a 4-for-5, one-homer, three-RBI performance against the Pittsburgh Pirates in an 11-0 Chicago win. He scored 17 runs and drew 16 walks during the month.

Elly De La Cruz batted .308 with a .953 OPS in 26 games. The Reds shortstop hit five home runs, stole 10 bases, and scored 19 runs. His best game was a 2-for-3, one-homer, two-RBI effort versus the Philadelphia Phillies in an 11-5 Cincinnati victory. De La Cruz showed speed and contact ability throughout July.

Sal Stewart hit .260 with an .870 OPS over 27 games. The Reds first baseman clubbed eight home runs and drove in 28 runs. His top performance included a 2-for-4, two-homer, three-RBI game against the Philadelphia Phillies in an 11-5 Cincinnati win. Stewart added four doubles and two stolen bases during the month.

Matt Olson batted .223 with an .824 OPS in 29 games for the Braves. He hit nine home runs and drove in 16 runs while scoring 21 times. Olson’s best game was a 2-for-5, two-homer, three-RBI performance against the New York Mets. The first baseman drew 14 walks despite 39 strikeouts during July.

Drake Baldwin hit .327 with a .938 OPS in 29 games. The Braves catcher added six home runs and 17 RBI while walking 17 times. His standout game was a 5-for-5, two-homer, two-RBI effort against the Texas Rangers in an 8-5 Atlanta win. Baldwin scored 18 runs and struck out only 17 times during the month.

Seiya Suzuki slashed .275 with a .938 OPS in 23 games for the Cubs. He hit six home runs, drove in 21 runs, and drew 16 walks. Suzuki’s best performance was a 3-for-5, one-homer, three-RBI game versus the San Diego Padres in a 23-3 Chicago victory. He scored 19 runs during the month.

Ben Rice posted a .264 average and .907 OPS across 28 games for the New York Yankees. He recorded 8 home runs, 20 RBI, 13 runs scored, 5 doubles, 13 walks and 0 stolen bases while striking out 32 times. His standout performance occurred versus the Tampa Bay Rays, finishing 2-for-4 with 2 home runs and 5 RBI in a 12-4 Yankees victory. The first baseman demonstrated consistent power production throughout the month.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit .291 with a .853 OPS in 26 games for the San Diego Padres. He tallied 3 home runs, 7 stolen bases, 19 runs, 16 RBI, 7 doubles and 14 walks against 22 strikeouts. His best outing came against the Kansas City Royals where he went 2-for-5 with 1 home run and 4 RBI in a 19-2 Padres win. The outfielder combined power and speed effectively during July.

Ceddanne Rafaela batted .304 with a .861 OPS over 27 games for the Boston Red Sox. He collected 6 home runs, 5 stolen bases, 19 runs, 20 RBI, 9 doubles and 3 walks while striking out 26 times. His top performance was a 3-for-5 game with 1 home run and 2 RBI against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 9-4 Red Sox victory. The center fielder showed strong contact skills throughout the month.

Jordan Walker hit .257 with a .774 OPS in 29 games for the St. Louis Cardinals. He produced 4 home runs, 4 stolen bases, 20 runs, 21 RBI, 7 doubles and 12 walks against 29 strikeouts. His strongest game came versus the Atlanta Braves, going 2-for-4 with 1 home run and 4 RBI in an 11-5 Cardinals win. The right fielder displayed steady run production during July.

Michael Harris II batted .279 with a .780 OPS across 28 games for the Atlanta Braves. He hit 6 home runs, stole 1 base, scored 17 runs, drove in 21 runs, recorded 8 doubles and drew 1 walk while striking out 22 times. His best game was a 3-for-5 performance with 1 home run and 2 RBI against the New York Mets in a 14-3 Braves victory. The center fielder contributed consistent offense throughout the month.

Manny Machado posted a .292 average and .921 OPS in 25 games for the San Diego Padres. He hit 7 home runs, stole 1 base, scored 16 runs, drove in 19 runs, recorded 4 doubles and drew 13 walks against 25 strikeouts. His top game came versus the Atlanta Braves, finishing 2-for-5 with 2 home runs and 2 RBI in an 8-3 Padres win. The third baseman delivered strong power numbers throughout July.

Rafael Devers hit .267 with a .904 OPS over 25 games for the San Francisco Giants. He produced 7 home runs, 0 stolen bases, 18 runs, 17 RBI, 3 doubles and 16 walks while striking out 21 times. His best performance was a 3-for-4 game with 1 home run and 4 RBI against the Los Angeles Angels in a 9-2 Giants victory. The designated hitter showed solid plate discipline during the month.

Junior Caminero posted a .243 average and .863 OPS in 28 games for the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit 7 home runs, stole 2 bases, scored 13 runs, drove in 14 runs, recorded 6 doubles and drew 13 walks against 24 strikeouts. His strongest game came versus the Seattle Mariners, finishing 2-for-4 with 1 home run and 2 RBI in a 7-2 Rays win. The third baseman provided power production throughout July.

Jackson Merrill hit .300 with a .860 OPS over 26 games for the San Diego Padres. He produced 7 home runs, 3 stolen bases, 17 runs, 17 RBI, 2 doubles and 5 walks while striking out 24 times. His best outing was a 4-for-6 performance with 2 home runs and 4 RBI against the Kansas City Royals in a 19-2 Padres victory. The center fielder delivered consistent production during the month.

Gabriel Moreno batted .362 with a .927 OPS in 25 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks. He hit 2 home runs, stole 0 bases, scored 18 runs, drove in 19 runs, recorded 6 doubles and drew 14 walks against 14 strikeouts. His top performance came versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, finishing 1-for-3 with 1 home run and 2 RBI in a 3-0 Diamondbacks win. The catcher showed excellent contact and on-base skills throughout July.