The Astros¡¯ Alex Bregman really hit his stride in August, while the Cardinals¡¯ Nolan Arenado added another outstanding month to what has been an MVP-caliber season. The two third basemen were named Friday as the Players of the Month presented by Chevrolet for August, giving Bregman his third career monthly award and Arenado his second of 2022 and fourth overall.

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Bregman, who last won American League Player of the Month honors in August 2019, entered last month with a .773 OPS on the season but produced a .362/.452/.681 slash line with seven homers, nine doubles, 17 walks, 22 RBIs and 27 runs scored in 27 games during the month.

The 28-year-old erupted for four extra-base hits -- two homers and two doubles -- and six RBIs in Houston¡¯s 21-5 win over the White Sox on Aug. 18.

Arenado, the National League Player of the Month for April, started off August by going deep in six of his first 10 games and didn¡¯t slow down from there. Overall, he posted a .365 average with nine homers, 12 doubles, 29 RBIs and a 1.139 OPS over 27 games.

Arenado is the first Cardinals player to win multiple Player of the Month Awards in a single season since Albert Pujols in 2009.