Player of the Week: Brian Roberts

Jun 30, 2014; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Brian Roberts (14) hits a game-tying solo home run against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of a game at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

While the first week of July baseball wasn’t fantastic for the Yankees, a few players started off the month really well. Zelous Wheeler hit a home run in his major league debut on Thursday, while Masahiro Tanaka pitched 16 innings, only surrendering 6 runs total.

But the real player of the week is Brian Roberts. Considering how rough the beginning of his season was, Roberts has really shaken off the injuries and rust, finally looking like the player who has hit 50 or more doubles in three separate seasons. Over his last seven days, he’s hit four of them, including three in an Independence Day coming-out (he also laced a triple and scored twice in a 6-5 win over the Twins). In fact, his July 4th was so strong, his batting average rose from .237 to .248.

Roberts also two other multi-hit games, and went yard against the Rays in the ninth inning to tie the game on the last day of June for his fourth homer of the season. Power isn’t new for the diminutive second sacker however; he hit eight last season in roughly the same amount of at bats, and drove out 18 big flies in 2005.

Most importantly, Roberts looks to be recovered from his early season injuries. He played six out of a possible seven games last week, only sitting when Tanaka faced the Twins.

Over the past seven days, Brian Roberts is 9-for-25, (.360), with four runs, four doubles, a triple, and a homer.