For one stretch in April 2006, Kevin Mench was the hottest hitter on the planet. He homered in seven consecutive games, from April 21 through April 28, breaking the Texas Rangers franchise record he already owned and setting the all-time mark for a right-handed hitter, one game shy of the major league record shared by Dale Long, Don Mattingly, and Ken Griffey Jr.

The streak started with a grand slam against Tampa Bay and ended with a solo shot off Guillermo Mota in Cleveland, and he drove in multiple runs in six of those seven games. He was named American League Player of the Month for April, which feels like an understatement.

Known around Arlington as Shrek, Mench spent six seasons with the Rangers and hit 25 home runs in 2005, his career best. He also played for Milwaukee, Toronto, and Washington across an eight-year big league career, and he is a fun, approachable guest who is happy to tell the story.