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Nationals' Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg named Co-NL Players of the Week

Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg were named Co-NL Players of the Week after big weeks for the Washington Nationals which saw Harper hit five home runs and Strasburg strike out 24 in 15 innings.

By Patrick Reddington
Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

In seven games last week, Bryce Harper went 14 for 27 (.519/.576/.1.111) with a double, five home runs, five walks and three Ks, leaving him with a .343/.470/.674 line, 35 doubles, a triple and 41 home runs in 142 games and 607 plate appearances, over which the 22-year-old Washington Nationals' 2010 no.1 overall pick has been worth +9.6 fWAR.

Harper currenlty leads the National League in AVG, OBP, SLG, runs scored (116) and Wins Above Replacement among other stats.

This afternoon, Harper was named Co-NL Player of the Week along with teammate and fellow Nationals' no.1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg (2009), who went (2-0) in starts against the Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins walking two and striking out 24 in 15 innings, over which he held hitters to a combined .135/.167/.192 line.

Strasburg struck out 14 batters in eight scoreless inning on the mound in Citizens Bank Park, then followed that up with Sunday's outing, in which he collected 10 Ks in seven innings in which he gave up six hits and two runs, one earned.

Nats' skipper Matt Williams told reporters on Sunday that Strasburg is finally healthy and showing everyone what he's capable doing when he's back to full strength (or close to it).

"I think he feels good and when he feels good you can see him running the ball in there at 98 mph today, and it's pretty impressive. He's able to reach back and be aggressive in that regard. When he wasn't feeling well early, and dealing with all the issues he dealt with, the ankle and the back, he was trying to feel the ball to the plate a little bit. Now that he's healthy, I don't see an issue with it, he's raring back and firing it when he needs to."

Strasburg said his goal in the last few outings has just been to execute his pitches, one pitch at a time.

"Just trying to keep it simple and I'm just trying to do what I'm capable of doing and that's just going out there and executing pitches and giving it everything I have."

Harper and Strasburg have been dominant, Harper pretty much all season, and Strasburg when he's been healthy.

The Player of the Week nod is Harper's third of the season. It's the second of Strasburg's career.

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