This is Cruz’s first Player of the Month Award and he becomes the first Mariners position player to earn a monthly award since Ichiro in August 2004. In 22 games in April Cruz hit .322 (28×87) with 10 home runs, 3 doubles, 1 triple, 22 RBI and slugged .724. Amongst American League leaders he ranked 1st in home runs (tied), slugging percentage and extra-base hits (14), 2nd in OPS (1.096) and T7th in hits.
His 10 home runs in April were 3rd-most in club history (trails: Ken Griffey Jr. – 13 in ‘97, 11 in ‘98) and his 10 home runs were most in any April in his career (had 7 in ‘11 and ‘10) and 2nd-most in a single month (13 in May, 2014).