MLB Award predictions
Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Aaron Judge’s incredible 2024 season, with a .322 average, 58 home runs, and a 1.159 OPS, solidifies his place as the clear favorite for the AL MVP.
The World Series champion has been crowned, but that doesn’t mean every award has been handed out. In the coming days, some of the most important awards in Major League Baseball (MLB) will be announced. These awards include each league's Most Valuable Player (MVP), the CY Young, and Rookie of the Year. Some awards have clear favorites, while others are hotly contested races. It will be interesting to see which players add to their trophy cases, but before they are announced, we will do our best to predict who wins each award.
National League MVP:
The finalists for this award include Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, and Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte. This is a two-horse race between Ohtani and Lindor, who had spectacular seasons and deep playoff runs with their respective teams.
Lindor had a .273 batting average, 33 home runs, 91 Runs Batted In (RBIs), and 29 stolen bases— all while playing elite defense at shortstop. Lindor was a major reason why the Mets made it all the way to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) this past season. He was their best player all through the season and into the playoffs.
On the other hand, Ohtani had a record-breaking debut season for the Dodgers. Shohei had a .310 batting average, 56 home runs, 130 RBIs, and 59 stolen bases. Despite battling nagging injuries, Ohtani also contributed heavily to the Dodgers playoff run. Both players deserve the award, but the historical nature of Ohtani’s season can’t be overlooked.
American League MVP:
In the American League (AL), the finalists were Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge, right fielder Juan Soto, and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.. All three players had incredible seasons. Still, the clear favorite for the award is Aaron Judge. Judge hit for a .322 average, 1.159 On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS), and 58 home runs.
Bobby Witt, though, had an incredible breakout season, with 32 home runs and 31 stolen bases at just 24 years old. Witt will be in MVP contention for years, but this season’s award belongs to Judge.
American League CY Young:
This award’s finalists include Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal, Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, and Guardians reliever Emmanuel Clase. Similar to the AL MVP race, this might just be a unanimous decision, as Tarik Skubal is the frontrunner for the Cy Young. Skubal was dominant all season long as he pitched to a minuscule 2.39 ERA (Earned Runs Average), 228 strikeouts, and an 18-4 record.
National League CY Young:
The finalists include Phillies pitcher Zach Wheeler, Braves pitcher Chris Sale, and Pirates' Paul Skenes. This is one of the more intriguing races, as all three pitchers have a great case for the award. Zach Wheeler is one of the MLB's most durable and consistent pitchers with a .257 ERA, 200 innings pitched, and a 0.955 WHIP (Walks Plus Hits per inning pitched).
Skenes had a triumphant debut season, however, after being drafted first overall by the Pirates in 2024. By season’s end, he had a 1.96 ERA and 170 strikeouts in just 133 innings. Sale might have had the best season, but he won the triple crown by leading the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts.
American League Rookie of the Year:
The finalists are Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser, Yankees catcher Austin Wells, and Yankees pitcher Luis Gil. This award is probably up for grabs, as it’s a tossup between Gil and Cowser. Gil admirably stepped up in Gerrit Cole’s early season absence and had an excellent rookie season with a 3.50 ERA, 15 wins, and 171 strikeouts. Cowser also had a solid season with 24 home runs and 69 RBIs. This could go either way, but I’d give Gil a slight edge.
National League Rookie of the Year:
Paul Skenes, Brewer outfielder Jackson Churio, and Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill are the contenders for this season’s Rookie of the Year winner. While Merril and Churio both hit 20-plus home runs, Skenes' aforementioned historic rookie season will most likely end with him receiving the award.
With the baseball season now over, fans look forward to seeing its most impressive players celebrated for their efforts. It will be interesting to see who ultimately takes the trophy home and how these players continue to perform in seasons to come.