Jose Bautista Named American League Player Of The Month For June

Major League Baseball has just announced that Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista has been named the American League Player of the Month for June.

Jose Bautista had a monster month, Bautista set a Blue Jays club record for most number of homers in a month with his 14, and had 30 RBI to go with it. He batted .271/.408/.750 overall (for a 1.158 OPS!), and his batting average would likely have been higher if not for a BABIP of .179 in the month.

This is Bautista's fifth American League Player of the Month award, after winning in July 2010, August 2010, April 2011, and May 2011. Prior to Bautista's five awards, it had only been awarded 12 times to a Blue Jay in franchise history, and the last player to have won before Bautista did in July 2010 was Joe Carter back in April 1994.

Congratulations, Joey Bats, you are much deserving for this award. May you have many more this year and in the future!

Not to influence the vote or anything, but Bautista is going to be up for an even more prestigious prize: the Bluebird Banter Writers' Association Award for June.