After missing 18 games with a strained oblique, Carlos Beltran returned to the Mets lineup in a big way this past week.
Beltran was 9-for-24 with four homers and 10 RBIs in six games against the Pirates and Nationals, and on Monday was rewarded by being named the National League Player of the Week.
The center fielder returned to the Mets lineup on Aug. 10, and got off to a slow start, going 1-for-10 before turning it on this week.
Beltran capped off the impressive week on Sunday. In the series finale against the Nationals, with his club going for a sweep, Beltran came through and was 2-for-3 with two homers and four RBIs, leading the Mets to an 8-2 win.
"When he gets hot, he gets ridiculously hot," teammate David Wright said after Sunday's game. "He has the ability to put the team on his shoulders."
Beltran and Wright have flip-flopped spots in the batting order ever since Beltran returned from the DL, with Beltran batting fourth to protect Wright, who moved up to the three spot.
Beltran flourished in the cleanup spot this past week, collecting at least one RBI in four of the six games.
It's the second time this season that Beltran has taken home the award. He also did it for the week of April 16-22. During that stretch, Beltran recorded four multi-hit games and two four-hit games. This time around, the 30-year-old had three multi-hit games and also scored eight runs.
Beltran beat out two of his own teammates, Wright (.423, 5 RBI) and left fielder Moises Alou (.348, 2 HR, 7 RBI) along with Arizona's Chris Young (.393, 5 HR) and Orlando Hudson (.417, 4 RBI); the Reds' Adam Dunn (.350, 4 HR), Ken Griffey Jr. ( .417 5 RBIs) and Jeff Keppinger (.435, 2 RBI); Albert Pujols (.476, 3 HR) and Yadier Molina (.389 6 RBI) of the Cardinals; San Diego's Greg Maddux (2-0, 0.77 ERA) and San Francisco's Ryan Klesko (.438, 7 RBI) among others to earn the award.
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