Adrian Gonzalez Co-Wins AL Player Of The Week

It was a rough first half for Adrian Gonzalez, but he's been the destroyer of pitcher's worlds since the All-Star break. That run continued last week, with Gonzalez hitting .393/.433/.821 in seven games and 30 plate appearances. The first baseman went deep twice to bring his season total to 13 -- this after just six long balls in his first 86 games -- and hit six doubles while driving in 13 runs.

This is Gonzalez's second Player of the Week honor for 2012, with the other coming in late July, when he hit .429/.429/.643 with two homers, a dozen hits, and 10 RBI in the first seven games after the All-Star break. In the 28 games since the break, Gonzalez is hitting .393/.435/.673 with seven homers, nine doubles, and an AL-leading 1108 OPS. (Gonzalez is second in the majors behind only Buster Posey, who has hit a superhuman .457/.523/.787 with a 1308 OPS since the break.)

Gonzalez shared last week's AL Player of the Week honors with Baltimore Orioles rookie Manny Machado, who, despite being 20 years old and putting up a good, not great showing in Double-A, mashed upon reaching the majors. Machado played in just four games to Gonzalez's seven, but he made them count, hitting .373/.375/1.125 with three homers, a double, and a triple.

The Red Sox and their fans will get a chance to see Machado in action starting Tuesday, as Boston begins a three-game set with the Orioles in Baltimore.