Major League Baseball

MLB Weekly Roundup: Tatis Jr. is the first two-time 'Six-Tool Player of Week'!

Updated May. 31, 2021 8:59 p.m. ET

By Ben Verlander
FOX Sports MLB Analyst

This past week in Major League Baseball saw a play that I would consider one of the weirdest, most awesome plays I have ever seen on a baseball field.

Chicago Cubs shortstop Javy Báez grounded to third base, and then Pittsburgh third baseman Erik González threw offline, forcing first baseman Will Craig to come up the line. Craig then moved to tag Báez for what would have been the final out of the inning.

But Báez proceeded to stop and begin running back toward home plate. Instead of turning and touching first base, Craig followed Báez toward home. Meanwhile, the runner who was on second came all the way around to touch home.

After all of that, if the Pirates had thrown to first for the force-out, the run wouldn't have counted. But the catcher threw it away and into the outfield, and so Báez was able to scamper to second base.

Let’s take a look back at what else was wild about last week and look forward to some of the top storylines of this week.

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PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Rhys Hoskins has been hitting homers in bunches this year for the Philadelphia Phillies, but he isn’t usually one to show much emotion. But after a huge late-game homer last week, he bat-flipped and let out some emotion. It made for an awesome picture.

Rhys is a former guest on my podcast, "Flippin' Bats," so it’s no wonder he’s putting up great numbers this year. The good luck the show has brought to guests this season has been amazing, and Hoskins is a fantastic example of that.

SIX-TOOL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

We officially have our first two-time "Six-Tool Player of the Week," and it's no surprise that it's Fernando Tatis Jr.

The Padres' shortstop has been on an absolute tear at the plate since his return from the injured list, and you know what that means – more bat flip opportunities!

Tatis did it all this week. He was bat-flipping. He was staring at homers as they blasted into oblivion. He was wearing the gaudy San Diego necklace the Padres wear now after homers. It was all glorious. His home run trots have become must-watch TV, from the bat flip to the stutter-step around third, and they are the reason Tatis is the first to win this award twice.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

Don’t look now, but the Cubs have climbed up toward the top of the NL Central and find themselves right in the thick of things.

They have won six of their past seven games and are only a half-game out of first place. With so many guys becoming free agents, this team's front office has a lot of decisions to make in the near future. For their part, guys such as Kris Bryant are playing great baseball and making those decisions very tough.

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEK

1. Rays at Yankees

This series is a big one, particularly for the Yankees. The first-place Rays are coming to New York, and the Yankees are coming off of an embarrassing, brutal sweep at the hands of the last-place Detroit Tigers. The Rays are hot, and the Yankees are not, and this series against the first-place team in the division will be huge for the Yankees if they want to avoid falling too far behind.

2. Cody Bellinger is back for the Dodgers

The Dodgers desperately needed Cody Bellinger back in their lineup. They are playing well but find themselves in third place in the NL West behind the surging Padres and the surprising San Francisco Giants. With Bellinger back, I'll be looking to see if the Dodgers get hot. I’m also excited to watch Bellinger because baseball is better when he is healthy and playing great. I hope he does just that.

3. Red Sox at Yankees

It took us almost two months to get it, but the rivalry we all know and love is finally here. The Red Sox and the Yankees will battle it out this weekend in NYC, and this matchup is better when both teams are as good as they are this season. The Red Sox have surprised many this year and are right at the top of the AL East, with the Yankees not too far behind in third place.

THIS WEEK ON THE POD

Houston Astros outfielder Kyle Tucker joins me on "Flippin' Bats" this week. We talk about his rise to the big leagues at such a young age, playing in the 2019 World Series and how on earth he hits without batting gloves.

Here’s to another very exciting week of Major League Baseball!

Ben Verlander is an MLB Analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the "Flippin' Bats" podcast. Born and raised in Richmond, Virginia, Verlander was an All-American at Old Dominion University before he joined his brother, Justin, in Detroit as a 14th-round pick of the Tigers in 2013. He spent five years in the Tigers organization. Follow him on Twitter @Verly32.