R.A. Dickey Named National League Player of the Week

New York Mets right-hander R.A. Dickey has been named the National League Player of the Week for the period ending May 27th. The announcement was made earlier today on MLB Network.

Dickey was a perfect 2-0 in two starts last week and had a Major League-best 21 strikeouts. The knuckleballer allowed just a single earned run in his two outings, compiling a 0.63 ERA for the week, which was good for third-lowest among qualifying N.L. pitchers.

Dickey, who ranked fifth in the N.L. with 14.1 innings pitched, scattered eight hits and permitted just a single walk in that span, joining Tom Seaver, Dwight Gooden and David Cone as the only pitchers in franchise history to record consecutive starts with 10- or-more strikeouts and one-or-fewer walks.

On Sunday, the University of Tennessee product worked 7.1 shutout innings and fanned 10 en route to a 2-0 Mets victory over the visiting San Diego Padres. After striking out 11 in his previous outing, a 3-2 victory on May 22nd at Pittsburgh, Dickey became the first Met to record back-to-back double-digit strikeout performances since Pedro Martinez in 2006 (10 SO on May 9th vs. PHI and 10 SO on May 14th vs. MIL).

His 29 strikeouts in his last three starts is the most by a National League pitcher in a three-game span this season and the most by a Met hurler since Johan Santana fanned 30 from April 12-24, 2009. Dickey currently leads the Mets and is tied for third in the Majors with seven wins. The 18th overall selection of the 1996 First Year Player Draft has won five straight decisions dating back to April 25th and the Mets are 7-0 in his last seven starts. This is his first career weekly award.