When a baseball player performs well and his respective team reaps the benefits of the outstanding play, it makes perfect sense the player will be acknowledged for what he achieved.
The Oakland Athletics have the second-best record in the American League (19-12), and much of their success this season is due to multiple players stepping up. One player that stands tall is right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray.
On Monday, Gray was recognized for his awesome start to the season, as he was named the AL Pitcher of the Month for April.
Weather Forecast: Sonny. Congrats to @SonnyGray2 for being selected AL Pitcher of the Month in April. #GreenCollar pic.twitter.com/WUBhHbE13Q
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) May 5, 2014
In six starts, he had a 1.76 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 14 walks, including one shutout over 41 innings pitched. It’s his first Pitcher of the Month honor and he’s the first A’s starting pitcher to earn the award since Bartolo Colon in June of last year.
Among all qualifying AL starters, Gray finished tied for first in wins, second in ERA, fifth in innings pitched and 12th in strikeouts. He held the opposition to a .220 batting average.
Gray started Opening Day for the A’s and struck out seven batters in six shutout innings.
He became only the second pitcher in team history not to allow a run in a season opener, the first being Tim Hudson in 2003.
Oakland has a very special pitcher with Gray and it will be great to see how he develops over the course of his career.
Photo: Tim Heitman, USA Today