Major League Baseball announced on Monday afternoon that Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Josh Bell has been named as the National League Player of the Month for May. The last monthly award winner from the Pirates was Andrew McCutchen in June of 2017.
Bell hit .390/.442/.797 in 29 games in May. He led all MLB players in total bases (94), hits (46), extra-base hits (24) and RBIs (31) during the month. He also shared the MLB lead with 12 homers.
Among the team records he reached:
Set the record for most total bases in a month, topping Ralph Kiner’s 92 in 1947.
He tied Paul Waner’s record for extra-base hits in a month, which was set in June of 1927 and tied 14 months later by Waner.
Bell also became just the third NL player to reach 12 doubles and 12 homers in the same month, joining Hank Aaron and Frank Robinson.