Harper, Machado earn Player of the Month honors

Bryce Harper, the Washington Nationals phenom who smashed nine homers in his first 18 games this year, was named National League Player of the Month for April on Monday. Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado earned the honor in the American League, following a strong start to his 2016 campaign.

Fresh off being named the youngest unanimous MVP in baseball history, Harper posted a 1.064 OPS with nine homers, six doubles, 17 walks, and an MLB-best 1.68 win probability added through the first month of the 2016 season, managing the fifth-most WAR in the NL despite finishing April with a 1-for-13 (.077) skid. Machado, who also hasn't turned 24 yet, sits atop the AL with 1.8 WAR following an absurd first month in which he posted a .344/.394/.667 line with a league-best 35 hits, including seven homers and 10 doubles.

Harper and Machado weren't the only players recognized Monday, though. Detroit Tigers right-hander Jordan Zimmermann received the AL Pitcher of the Month award after going 5-0 with a 0.55 ERA and 1.06 WHIP through his first five starts, while Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta landed the honor for the NL after managing the same record with a 1.00 ERA in his five starts, including his second career-no hitter.

Meanwhile, despite spending the first week of the season in Triple-A, Nomar Mazara of the Texas Rangers was named AL Rookie of the Month after hitting .333/.392/.460 with two homers and two doubles through the first 17 games of his career. Trevor Story, the Colorado Rockies' 23-year-old shortstop, landed the NL award with an absurd first month in which he tied Jose Abreu's rookie record by smashing 10 homers in April.