The Tampa Bay Rays have had themselves yet another great season to date.
Though they sit in fourth place in a stacked American League East division entering play Tuesday, they are still right in the thick of the postseason race, ahead of the Cleveland Guardians by 2.5 games for the third AL Wild Card spot.
One of the key reasons for their success in 2022 has been the emergence of Isaac Paredes.
The 23-year-old slugger and third baseman is off to a very hot start in 2022.
His average may only be at .255, but he’s already hit 10 home runs and driven in 21 runs on the season.
And he’s only getting better.
Tricia Whitaker of Bally Sports Sun tweeted some stats that he put up last week, stats which earned him AL Player of the Week honors.
Isaac Paredes has been named the AL player of the week.
Hit .579 (11-for-19), six runs scored, two doubles, five HRs, nine RBI and a 1.474 slugging percentage over 5 games.
Yea, I’d say that works for your first player of the week award 🔥
— Tricia Whitaker (@TriciaWhitaker) June 27, 2022
Red-Hot
That’s one way to earn your first Player of the Week Award.
Paredes is red-hot right now and is not showing any signs of cooling off anytime soon.
These stats are absolutely insane.
Here is yet another example of the Rays’ unique ability to develop talent.
The Rays are always well known for having a great and talented young roster that can surprise a lot of people with the number of games they’re capable of winning.
Again, Paredes is yet another example of the way the Rays develop their talented young stars.
Paredes has a bright future ahead of him, as do many of the young Rays.
But what a week he had last week.
His OPS is at .927 on the year and he continues to rake.
If the Rays are going to be serious contender, Paredes will be a major key to that.
NEXT: Rays Ace Shane McClanahan Is Enjoying A Historic Run