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By Will Glover | September 13, 2024
Photo by Ashley Landis - Associated Press
The 2024 MLB season has been a year of firsts for a lot of players, teams, and narratives. As the season enters its final stretch, the race for baseball's most coveted individual awards has become quite clear. From season-long MVP frontrunners to potential breakout Cy Young winners, this year’s award races feature a blend of established stars and rising talent. In this article, we break down the top contenders for each major award, offering predictions on who will take home the hardware when the season wraps up. Who will stand out among the league's elite? Let's dive into our picks for the 2024 MLB award winners.
Most Valuable Player
National League
Shohei Ohtani - Designated Hitter - Los Angeles Dodgers
Photo by Harry How - Getty Images
Key Stats as of September 13:
47 HR
104 RBI
48 SB
177 OPS+
7.4 bWAR
I mean this one feels obvious, which is why I listed it first. Sho-time Ohtani is doing a lot of things the league has never seen before in one season:
Winning (comfortably) the MVP as a primary DH
Having a 45/45 season with a high chance of getting the coveted 50/50 season
Doing all this while recovering from Tommy John surgery
Unreal...
You see, to accomplish these things is already impressive, if not impossible, enough; but to see Ohtani put these numbers up pretty much injured is otherworldly. Day in and day out we continue to awe at the wonder that is Shohei Ohtani. His 2024 season, ironically enough, wouldn't even be his best statistical season ever... in the last 3 years coming into this season, Ohtani has delivered 8.9, 9.6, and 9.9 bWAR seasons. Now, he isn't done this season, but with 15ish games left, he might not get even to his 2021 season totals, even with a 50/50 season. I hope he can perform like this in the postseason. I am dying to call the 2020s the Shohei Ohtani era, there is only one last thing he needs to get before I can say that... a World Series Ring.
American League
Aaron Judge - Right Field - New York Yankees
Photo by Gregory Fisher - Icon Sportswire and Getty Images
Key Stats as of September 13:
51 HR
126 RBI
1.136 OPS
215 OPS+ (lol)
9.5 bWAR
You would think that this is an obvious choice; however, Judge has gone silent since August 26th - slashing an abysmal .207/.352/.259 split with 0 home runs and only 4 RBI in that span. This power outage should concern Yankee fans, as Judge history has been known to slow down as the lights get brightest. The fact Judge is still leading all of baseball in most hitting stats with this recent slump and his April slump is downright insane. For the same reason Paul Goldschmidt won MVP in 2022, we have to award Judge for his insane summer, leading the Yankees to one of the best records in baseball with the most value brought to that team. Don't sleep on Bobby Witt Jr. though, he is quietly sneaking up on Judge, and depending on who performs and who doesn't in the last 2 weeks of the season, we could see a major MVP upset.
Cy Young
National League
Chris Sale - Starting Pitcher - Atlanta Braves
Photo by Jordan Godfree - Imagn Images
Key Stats as of September 13:
2.38 ERA
16 W
213 SO
.996 WHIP
5.9 bWAR
In terms of value delivered to a team, this race isn't even close... Chris Sale has single-handedly kept Atlanta in the Wild Card hunt down the stretch, winning each of his last 5 starts (3-0 record). Not only has Sale been by far the best pitcher in the National League, but he is on pace to win the first NL pitching Triple Crown (league leader in wins, strikeouts, and ERA) since Clayton Kershaw did back in his 2011 MVP season. Now... obviously Sale will not be taking home the NL MVP this season; however, he will be taking home the Cy Young award, and deservingly so. Welcome back, Chris! Red Sox fans look away.
American League
Tarik Skubal - Starting Pitcher - Detroit Tigers
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson - Getty Images
Key Stats as of September 13:
2.50 ERA
16 W
214 SO
.944 WHIP
6.0 bWAR
It's actually how eerily similar Skubal and Sale have been this season - essentially matching each other's performances from start to start. Granted, Sale has accomplished his stats in 2 fewer starts. Nevertheless, Skubal is still dominating the American League, and like Sale, Skubal is trying to grab an AL pitching Triple Crown of his own. Skubal is also keeping his team in the Wild Card hunt, winning 3 out of his last 5 starts (2-0 record). The Tigers have been blessed to finally see what their former 9th-round pick is capable of when healthy; Skubal has been battling injuries the last 3 seasons and even though he has gotten noticeably better in each of the last 5 seasons, he has been able to make a difference in the Motor City until this season. Winning the Triple Crown would all but confirm Skubal's Cy Young award; however, the Guardians' Emmanuel Clase, in my opinion, is not far behind Skubal. Clase has been having another phenomenal season in Cleveland and is the league leader in saves on a team that is currently enjoying first place in the AL Central. This race should be closer than what "experts" say but the starting pitcher bias is heavy and there hasn't been a reliever Cy Young in decades. Unfortunately, the trend will continue this season - shoutout Clase though.
Rookie of the Year
National League
Paul Skenes - Starting Pitcher - Pittsburgh Pirates - Livvy Dunne's Boyfriend
Photo from MLB.com
Key Stats as of September 13:
2.10 ERA
10 W
151 SO
.992 WHIP
5.2 bWAR
120.0 IP (insane)
Livvy Dunne's Boyfriend
Did I mention that he is Livvy Dunne's boyfriend? My bad... anyways, the number 1 pick of the 2023 MLB Draft was all and more of what we were expecting. Skenes burst onto the scene in mid-May and did not disappoint. In his second career start, Skenes dominated with a 6 no-hit inning, 11 strikeout performance against the Chicago Cubs (was taken out after 100 pitch, pitch limit). Skenes started the season 6-0 and was not charged with a loss until his 12th start against the St. Louis Cardinals... where he pitched into the 9th inning. Since making his debut, Skenes has arguably been the best pitcher in the league as a 22-year-old rookie and became the 5th rookie starting pitcher ever to start the Midsummer Classic. It's a truly unfortunate season to be a rookie; Padres' star Jackson Merril, Cardinals' Masyn Winn, and Brewers' Jackson Chourio are having amazing seasons as well. Sadly, there can only be one Rookie of the Year. Thankfully we can give this award to someone who is a highly deserving candidate as Skenes is. Watch out for Skenes on my 2025 MLB Award Predictions as a premiere Cy Young candidate.
American League
Austin Wells - Catcher - New York Yankees
Photo from Getty Images
Key Stats as of September 13:
13 HR
50 RBI
103 G
117 OPS+
2.8 bWAR
The AL ROTY race is much closer, and honestly, it could have gone one of three ways for me:
Austin Wells, who has helped the Yankees stay afloat during their late-summer slump in his small sample size of 103 games.
Colton Cowser, who has played the entire season on one of the best teams in the league while being a very productive hitter.
Or Luis Gil, who has been a rookie since 2021 and is finally healthy, showing the league what the Yankees have been waiting for.
While Cowser has been leading the AL race for most of the season, he has not been as good of a hitter since August 1st - slashing a poor 4 HR/ 15 RBI/ .706 OPS on .232/.319/.387 splits. For me, he hasn't been helping his team when it has mattered the most. Wells on the other hand has not only sparked a struggling Yankee offense, he is a phenomenal defensive catcher, showing that he can be a staple in the Yankees' success for years to come. Wells' versatility and production in limited time at the Big League level is what gives him the edge over rookies like Cowser or the 26-year-old Gil.
Manager of the Year
National League
Pat Murphy - Milwaukee Brewers
Photo by Benny Sieu - USA TODAY Sports
1st Season as Manager:
84-62 - 1st NL Central (as of September 13)
45-35 - >.500 Opponents
When Miluawkee's beloved Craig Counsell suddenly upped and left for the division rival Chicago Cubs for a 5-year, $40 million deal, the Brewers organization was in shambles, and rightfully so. The move shocked the league and pissed off all of Milwaukee. Through the anger, the Brewers calmly reorganized and chose former long-time Arizona State Sun Devil and Brewers bench coach, Pat Murphy. In his newfound role, Murphy has blossomed. Leading a team that had a roster that I thought was last place for sure (see here). Murphy's firey personal has lit one under this Brewers roster, getting the most out of each of his players. Under Murphy, we have seen stars like William Contreras, Willy Adames, Jackson Chourio, and Freddy Peralta blossom into the best versions of themselves. Lastly, Murphy has managed this Brewers team to a top 6 offensive team, which is a surprising change from Brewers teams of the last 5 seasons. I don't think the Brewers have what it takes to make a deep postseason run, but they will win the Central and get some October action. Great hire by Milwaukee.
American League
Stephen Vogt - Cleveland Guardians
Photo by Paul Hoynes - cleveland.com
1st Season as Manager:
84-63 - 1st AL Central (as of September 13)
46-42 - >.500 Opponents
Following Indians' and Guardians' Hall of Famer, Terry Francona's retirement, the Cleveland Guardians looked in an odd spot to replace their Hall of Fame manager... and boy has it paid dividends already. The Guardians went and found former long-time big leaguer and Seattle Mariners' bullpen and quality control coach, Stephen Vogt. This move surprised and scratched the heads of a lot of analysts and executives throughout the league. I guess the jury's out now though. This hiring was a success. Like Murphy, Vogt was given a roster that was expected to be competitive but not overly successful. Vogt has taken this team and maxed out the potential of each of his players and coaches. It helps when you have a few future Hall of Famers on your roster in Jose Ramirez and Emmanuel Clase (on pace); however, his coaching expertise still shows. He has gotten the most out of his young starting pitching and lineup and boasts the second-best record in the highly competitive American League. Again... like the Brewers, I don't see much postseason success for the Guardians, but they are competitive and anything can happen in baseball. Should be a fun watch!
Comeback Player of the Year
National League
Chris Sale - Starting Pitcher - Atlanta Braves
Photo by Matt Krohn - USA TODAY Sports
Key Stats as of September 13:
2.38 ERA
16 W
213 SO
.996 WHIP
5.9 bWAR
This one is a no-brainer. Let me show you Sales' stat line in his final 4 years as a Red Sox:
11-7 Record
3.93 ERA
31 Games Started
151 Innings Pitched
7 IL stints - 5 60-day, 2 15-day
Yikes...
Sale has always been a dominant and electric pitcher when healthy. The Red Sox got that out of him in his first two seasons... after that... an absolute disaster. Sale is healthy again, Sale is dominant again, Sale is back to being Sale again. I don't have much else to say that I haven't already about Sales' dominant Triple Crown season. He will win the Triple Crown, Cy Young, and take home a CPOTY award as well. Again... look away, Red Sox fans.
American League
Jack Flaherty - Starting Pitcher - Los Angeles Dodgers????
Photo from Getty Images
Key Stats as of September 13:
2.86 ERA
12 W
180 SO
1.014 WHIP
3.6 bWAR
Obviously, Flaherty is a Dodger now; however, in his brief time in Detroit, Flaherty looked like his 2019 self that dominated the league, especially in his historic second half. Flaherty has struggled to be the pitcher the St. Louis Cardinals knew he could be. Unfortunately for the Cardinals, they were right, Flaherty is an elite arm just like we already knew. In his first-half stint with the Tigers, Flaherty posted:
7-5 Record
106 Innings Pitched
133 SO
.956 WHIP
18 Starts
For those stats alone, I believe Flaherty is deserving of this award. Especially after a rough 2022 and 2023 where his ERA was sitting in the high 4s and was unceremoniously traded from the team that drafted him in the 1st round so long ago... I don't even want to bring up his disastrous 2023 Postseason with Baltimore. Despite the struggles, Flaherty has fought tooth and nail to overcome his injury proneness and his hard work is finally paying off. Flaherty, traded for the second time in a year, is dominating in Dodger Blue now, poised to lead an injured Dodgers pitching staff to another postseason where he can contribute meaningful innings on a team with a legitimate chance to win a World Series. For this one... look away Cardinals fans... look away.
As the 2024 MLB season draws to a close, these award races remain some of the most exciting storylines to follow. While anything can happen in the final weeks, these players and managers have consistently proven themselves among the best in the game. Whether it’s an MVP clinching moment or a Cy Young-worthy performance, the anticipation is palpable as we await the official announcements. One thing is certain - 2024 has been a season to remember. Remember to follow us on our socials and if you are interested in writing for us, REACH OUT! We would love to hear from you and see what you can bring to our team!