NEW YORK (TICKER) — Texas Rangers first baseman Rafael Palmeiro today was named American League Player of the Month for June after driving in a league-best 30 runs.
Palmeiro hit .369 (38-for-103) with eight doubles, six home runs and 14 runs scored. In 27 games, he compiled a .621 slugging percentage and a .437 on-base percentage.
Slowed by a knee injury at the start of the season, Palmeiro has heated up. He leads the AL in slugging percentage (.641) and ranks third in batting (.362), fourth in RBI (70), tied for fifth in home runs (20) and fifth in hits (100).
Palmeiro edged Baltimore Orioles left fielder B.J. Surhoff for the award. Surhoff led the league with 43 hits while batting .358 with nine homers and 25 RBI.
Other players on the monthly ballots were Chicago White Sox right fielder Magglio Ordonez, New York Yankees center fielder Bernie Williams and Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Tony Fernandez.