Josh Bell named NL Player-of-the-Month for May

PITTSBURGH — Major League Baseball named Josh Bell the National League Player-of-the-Month for May.

MLB said the Pirates first basement led all players in total bases (94), hits (46), extra-base hits (24) and RBI (31) during the month.

The Pirates said Bell shared the league lead with 12 home runs, tying the club record for most HR during the month of May. Jason Bay is the former-player Bell tied with.

Also during May, the Pirates said set the record for most total bases during any month of any season, beating Hall-of-Famer Ralph Kiner who had 92 in 1947.

Bell, according to the team, had the most total bases by any hitter during May since Hall-of-Famer Willie Mays had 102 in 1958. Bell also became the third player in NL history to have at least 12 doubles and 12 home runs in any calendar month, joining the ranks of Hall-of-Famer Hank Aaron who had the same numbers in July 1961 and Hall-of-Famer Frank Robinson who had 13 homers in July 1961.

The Pirates said Bell tied the club record for most extra-base hits in any month of a baseball season, tying Hall-of-Famer Paul Waner who set the record of 24 back in June 1927.

The numbers with which Bell finished the month of May, .390 batting average, 12 homers and 31 RBI, are better than any player in Pirates history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The agency said the only MLB player in the last 18 season with numbers that high in each of the triple crown categories in a month was J.D. Martinez in Sept. 2017. He finished with .404 batting average, 16 homers and 36 RBI.

TRENDING NOW:

Cox Media Group