Mercedes started the season on a tear and didn’t slow down. He became the first player to go 5-for-5 in his first big-league start April 2 against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif. He was the first player since at least 1900 to begin the season with eight consecutive hits.
Mercedes, 28, slashed .415/.455/.659 (34-for-82) in April with five doubles, five home runs, 16 RBIs, 10 runs and five three-plus-hit performances in 22 games.
He tied for the major-league lead in hits and three-plus-hit games and ranked second in average. He was third in on-base percentage, fourth in slugging percentage and OPS (1.