Lucas Giolito was named AL Pitcher of the Month for May on Monday. After struggling in his first full season last year (10-13, 6.13 ERA), Giolito got off to another rocky start with a 5.30 ERA in April. The 24-year-old righty turned it around in May, however, posting a 1.74 ERA over six starts while averaging just under seven innings a game. He compiled a 46:10 K/BB ratio in 41 1/3 innings while limiting opponents to a .169/.232/.232 batting line. Giolito was excellent again in his first start of June, firing 7 1/3 scoreless innings against the Indians on Sunday. Look for him to keep rolling in his next start at the Royals on June 9.
Michael Chavis was named AL Rookie of the Month on Monday. Despite hitting just .248 last month, Chavis crushed seven homers to go with 19 RBIs in 26 games. He only had one other extra-base hit, however, and struck out 30.5 percent of his plate appearances. The 23-year-old is still learning, but his power makes it clear why he was ranked as Boston's top prospect prior to being called up in April. While there's likely to be more growing pains for the young infielder, he's still worth owning from a fantasy perspective due to his power and versatility.
Aroldis Chapman was named AL Reliever of the Month for May on Monday. The hard-throwing lefty was his usual dominant self in May, going 11-for-11 in save opportunities and yielding just one earned run in 11 1/3 innings. In addition to posting an 18:3 K/BB ratio, he limited hitters to a .128/.186/.256 batting line. According to Statcast, his fastball averaged 98 mph last month -- one mph higher than April. Chapman appears to be in midseason form and should continue being an elite closing option at the back of New York's bullpen.
Rafael Devers was named AL Player of the Month for May on Monday. The 22-year-old enjoyed the finest month of his career thus far, slashing .351/.380/.640 with eight homers, 24 RBIs and 25 runs in 26 games. His 40 hits last month led the American League, with 16 going for extra bases. He hit safely in 21 of 26 games and closed the month on a career-best 11-game hitting streak, which included eight straight games with an extra-base hit. His 93 batted balls with an exit velocity of 95 mph or greater tied NL Player of the Month Josh Bell for most in baseball. Despite going 1-for-9 to start June, he's still batting an excellent .316/.372/.498 on the season.
Alex Bregman went 1-for-3 with a double, two runs scored, a walk and a stolen base Monday against the Mariners. Bregman showcased all of his skills by hitting for power, displaying patience at the plate and using his speed to steal a base. The double was only his ninth of the year after he led the majors with 51 last year, although part of the reason is that many of his two-baggers have left the yard instead. He's already more than halfway to last year's home run total (31) with 17 dingers, which is a natural power progression for a player in his age-25 season. He hasn't been as active on the bases with three steals, but there's still plenty of time for him to reach double digits for the third year in a row. He also has more walks than strikeouts for the second straight year, making him extra valuable in points leagues and OBP formats.
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