Believe it or not, the MLB season is more than halfway over and the All-Star game break is right around the corner. While hitting has been down this season, there have still been some insane power hitters putting up big numbers while a couple of surprise pitchers have impressed. Here’s our list of the 2024 National League midseason awards.
Most Valuable Player
Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Dodgers – DH
No big shocker here which is what you could have said since Ohtani signed with the Dodgers last December. Ohtani has been pounding the baseball. He is hitting well over .300 and has surpassed the 25-home run mark already. The question is whether the voters will give this award to a designated hitter. No DH has ever won the Most Valuable Player award and there were plenty of years where David Ortiz made the case to win. Ohtani is the best hitter in the NL but he only hits. Mookie Betts would be our runner-up choice, but a fractured wrist is going to pretty much erase his chances. Ohtani could win MVP number three and his first in the NL.
Cy Young
Ranger Suarez – Philadelphia Phillies – SP
Suarez has been sensational this year and there is no other way around it. He was a good pitcher last year but now he is considered elite, especially if he holds his current numbers. Suarez has allowed just 22 earned runs over 16 starts. His 2.01 ERA is the lowest in the National League and he has a WHIP of .93. Where he falls a bit behind the pace is in strikeouts. Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow has racked up nearly 40 more strikeouts than him as of this writing. I think it’s a race to the end between these two.
Rookie of the Year
Paul Skenes – Pittsburgh Pirates – SP
Has there been any player more electric this season than Paul Skenes? He is becoming must-watch TV when he takes the mound for the Pirates. He raced through the minor leagues and has cemented himself as one of the best pitchers in the bigs already. However, Jackson Merrill in San Diego is going to give him a run for his money for this one.
Manager of the Year
Rob Thomson – Philadelphia Phillies
This one is easy just given how talented the Phillies have been this year and the cushion they have in the NL East. It is a really tough division with another pretty great team in the Atlanta Braves, but Thomson has steered the ship perfectly, giving the Phils an 8-game lead.