It’s been a good month for Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernandez. The Black & Gold striker scored a league-best eight goals and an assist in five matches in September. On Wednesday, he won his first MLS Player of the Month award, becoming the first Crew player to receive the honor since attacking midfielder Lucas Zelarayan won in February/March of 2022. 

The Colombian won the award on the heels of scoring two hat tricks against CF Montreal (Sept. 2) and the Chicago Fire (Sept. 20). Hernandez scored at least one goal in each match of the month except other than on Sept. 23 against FC Dallas where the Black & Gold only scored an own goal. Hernandez is the first Colombian to win the award since July 2010, won by Fredy Montero of the Seattle Sounders. Hernandez won this award during National Hispanic Heritage Month. 

Hernandez leads the attack for a Columbus side that is tied for first in MLS in goals scored (62) with St. Louis CITY SC and first total assists (66). This comes even after the club sold talisman Zelarayan in July. While Zelarayan and Hernandez were on the field together, Hernandez managed five goals and 10 assists. Since the Armenian international departed for Saudi Arabia, Hernandez has scored nine goals and has one assist, bringing his total to 14 goals and 11 assists in 2023. 

Hernandez has 25 goal contributions this year, three back from league leader Luciano Acosta of FC Cincinnati and only one goal behind the Argentine, Hany Mukhtar of Nashville SC and Giorgos Giakmoumakis of Atlanta United in the race for the MLS Golden Boot. Hernandez has only played in 24 matches as he dealt with an early season injury. 

The star man from the Crew could make a late push to be a 2023 MLS MVP candidate with his current goal scoring form. With only three games left in the MLS season, Hernandez’s attacking efforts have the Black & Gold locked into an MLS Cu playoff spot and pushing for second place in the Eastern Conference as Columbus battles teams for home-field advantage.

The Crew takes on the New England Revolution and Atlanta United on the road this week before returning home to finish the season against CF Montreal on Oct. 21.