Carlos Cortes -- General News

Carlos Cortes of the Oakland Athletics has been named the American League Player of the Week, while Ildemaro Vargas of the Arizona Diamondbacks earned National League Player of the Week honors. Both players are receiving their first career awards.

Cortes, a 28-year-old outfielder from the University of South Carolina, delivered an exceptional week by batting .542 (13-for-24) with 3 home runs, 7 RBIs, 2 doubles, and 1 triple across 6 games. He led MLB in hits and ranked second in slugging percentage (.542), total bases (26), and batting average. Cortes also ranked third in OPS (1.625) and fifth in on-base percentage. Notable performances included a multi-homer game against Texas on Friday with a solo shot and three-run homer, and a career-high 4-hit performance Monday at Seattle. He is currently riding a 7-game hitting streak with four multi-hit games and has only 4 strikeouts in 67 plate appearances this season.

This marks the first Player of the Week honor for the Athletics since Nick Kurtz won back-to-back awards on July 21st and July 28th of 2025, and the first for an Athletics outfielder since Lawrence Butler won on September 3, 2024. Vargas's award represents the Diamondbacks' first such honor since Eugenio Suárez won four times last year.

The Oakland Athletics face the Texas Rangers on Saturday in Arlington in the second game of their three-game series. The A's dominated Friday's matchup 8-1, with Carlos Cortes providing significant offensive output via two home runs and four RBIs. Cortes has been a standout performer, batting .339 with four homers and 11 RBIs this season while going 10-for-21 with three home runs over his last five games. Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom also contributed solo homers in the first inning, with Zack Gelof adding a two-run shot in the ninth. This victory marked the Athletics' third win in their last four games and moved them into first place in the AL West.

Cortes currently serves as the designated hitter but is expected to move to left field once Brent Rooker returns from his right oblique strain, which has sidelined him since April 10. Manager Mark Kotsay indicated Rooker may skip a rehab assignment given his position as a DH.

Saturday's pitching matchup features Rangers LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-2, 4.15 ERA) against Athletics LHP Jeffrey Springs (3-1, 3.34 ERA). Gore recently allowed five runs over five innings in a loss to Seattle and carries a 1-2 record with a 7.11 ERA in three career starts against Oakland. The Rangers' Skip Schumaker noted Gore reduced his walk rate in his most recent start, describing him as one of Texas's better pitchers. Notably, Athletics infielder Jeff McNeil is 8-for-14 (.571) against Gore in their head-to-head matchup.