MLB
2024 MVP finalists revealed for MLB National League
Shohei Ohtani is in the mix to win the National League’s Most Valuable Player award for the 2024 Major League Baseball season.
Shohei Ohtani had a spectacular first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Japanese player won the World Series and is one of three finalists for the National League Most Valuable Player award. The other two are Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets and Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Dodgers' designated hitter inaugurated the 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases club. Additionally, Ohtani received 81 walks, hit 197 base hits, and drove in 130 runs. With this, the Japanese player is the favourite to win the award.
Lindor missed only 10 games in the 2024 season and hit 169 times, 33 of which were home runs. For his part, Marte had a batting average of .292, connecting 147 hits and producing 95 runs.
2024 National League Manager of the Year Finalists
The candidates for Manager of the Year in the National League are Carlos Mendoza of the New York Mets, Pat Murphy of the Milwaukee Brewers, and Mike Schildt of the San Diego Padres.
The Mets won 14 more games in their first year with Mendoza than in their last with Buck Showalter and reached the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers.
As for the Brewers, Murphy led the team to the postseason despite losing key players like Carlos Santana and Víctor Caratini. San Diego’s team might have gone further in the playoffs, but the eventual World Series champions blocked their path.
2024 National League Cy Young Award Finalists
The 2024 National League Cy Young Award could be historic, as one of the finalists is rookie Paul Skenes from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The other two finalists are Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies.
The first overall pick in the 2023 Draft, Skenes struck out 170 of the 514 batters he faced and allowed only 29 earned runs.
Sale revitalised his career in Atlanta, leading the NL in wins, with 18, and in strikeouts, with 225. The Phillies veteran won 16 of his 31 starts, and opposing batters averaged just .192 against him.
2024 National League Rookie of the Year Finalists
Jackson Chourio of the Milwaukee Brewers, Paul Skenes of the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres are the finalists for the National League Rookie of the Year award in 2024.
The Venezuelan Chourio made waves in his debut in the Major Leagues with 21 home runs and 79 RBIs, along with a batting average of .275.
Skenes, however, is the favourite to win the award after making 23 starts, achieving an 11-3 record, and posting a 1.96 ERA. Merrill earned Shildt’s trust, securing the center field position for the entire season and even being named an NL All-Star.