Nationals' Harper, Scherzer sweep NL's monthly honors for May

By foxsports
Published

The Washington Nationals had the two best players in the National League in the month of May.

As announced Wednesday, right fielder Bryce Harper and starter Max Scherzer were May's NL Player of the Month and Pitcher of the Month.

Scherzer went seven or more innings in six starts in May, only once giving up more than one earned run in a single start.

Barring a May 6 start against the Miami Marlins in which he gave up 10 hits and five earned runs in seven innings, Scherzer experienced a nearly flawless month.

He maintained a 1.67 earned run average, fanned 56 batters with a ridiculous 9.3 strikeout-to-walk ratio, and was credited with a win in five of his six starts.

"You just get consistent," Scherzer said, per the Washington Post. "You get locked in with your mechanics and prepare to continue to execute your scouting report," Scherzer said. "Keep going out there and trusting your stuff. Knowing when to throw a strike and knowing when to throw a ball for a strike out, trying to generate a swing and miss. It's just having confidence, knowing your ability to be able to do that."

Harper's performance in May wasn't too shabby either.

The 22-year-old outfielder terrorized opposing pitching, hitting .360/.495/.884 with 13 home runs and 28 runs batted in, and also flashed his leather in right field with some athletic plays.

"He had a month for everybody to recognize," Scherzer said of Harper. "It was really fun to sit there on the bench and watch him do what he does. It's great that we were both able to accomplish that."

Manager Matt Williams hopes the two can carry over their immense success in May over into June and beyond.

"We all certainly hope it continues for the month of June, too," Williams said. "They had great months. They gave us — Bryce on an everyday basis and Max every fifth day — gave us a chance to win games. So I'm proud of them, I'm happy for them. I know neither one of them will rest on that month, because we're staring at another one."

(h/t Washington Post)

Photo credit: Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports