There is about a month remaining in the MLB season, which means it’s time to predict the 2024 regular season awards. Some of these awards have clear-cut winners, while others are much more competitive.
Slugger Aaron Judge has put together another incredible season for the Bronx. It’ll be the second time he wins the award over the past three seasons. Additionally, he’ll be only the seventh Yankee to win the award twice. Judge won the MVP in 2022, and he’s having an even better season in 2024. He has improved in most metrics — batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage — and has the opportunity to surpass 60 home runs a second time.
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has performed at an MVP level this year. Still, Judge will take home the award at season’s end.
Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is well on pace to win his third Most Valuable Player Award. It will be his third in the last four seasons. Adding on to his already Hall-of-Fame-caliber resume, he would become only the second player to win the MVP in both the National and American League. Frank Robinson won it with the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and 1966 with the Baltimore Orioles.
Ohtani leads the NL in most important offensive categories and is only six home runs and four stolen bases away from being the first player in MLB history to have a 50/50 season. Every season, he breaks more history, and this season is nothing different.
Similar to the AL race, there needs to be an honorable mention for the NL. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor has put together another incredible season. He deserves recognition for one of the 2024 regular season awards.
The Cy Young Award winners for this season seem pretty clear cut in both leagues. Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Chris Sale is on pace to win the Triple Crown in the NL. He leads with a 2.46 ERA, has accumulated 16 wins and struck out 206 batters in 26 starts. It’s an impressive late-career resurgence for Sale, who has made 25+ starts for the first time since 2019. He made 31 starts over the past four seasons, including missing all of the 2020 Covid-19-shortened campaign and 11 starts in 2021 and 2022 combined.
Sale, known for his high velocity fastball and gravity-defying slider, made seven consecutive AL All-Star appearances from 2012-2018.
Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal is currently leading the way for a Triple Crown season in the AL. 28 players have won the Triple Crown in MLB history, and it could be the first time since 2011 when a player leads in all categories in both leagues. Pitching legends Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw were the last pair to do it.
Skubal’s dominance on the mound has helped boost the Tigers to above .500 after the All-Star break for the first time since 2016. Skubal has thrown 201 strikeouts, earned 16 wins and has a 2.51 ERA over 27 starts in 2024.
The National League Rookie of the Year race is the most highly-contested race of the six 2024 regular season awards I’m discussing today. In the end, Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes narrowly gets the award over San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill. Both have had incredible rookie campaigns, but Skenes has already cemented himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball.
Skenes has made 19 big league starts and boasts a 2.13 ERA — the best in baseball since his May 11 debut. Skenes has struck out 142 batters in 114 innings and has a WHIP under 1 (0.982). Pittsburgh will have an ace on the mound every five days for a long time.
Skenes will pick up the award just 16 months after being selected first in the 2023 MLB draft from LSU.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser is the betting favorite to win the AL ROTY at season’s end. The fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft has played in 132 games for Baltimore. He has hit 20 home runs, driven in 62 RBI and is yet another young and talented player on one of the league’s best teams.
Cowser would become the eighth Oriole to win the award. Hall of Famers Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr. and 2023 winner Gunnar Henderson have also captured the ROTY.
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