Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge headline list of MVP finalists
Shohei Ohtani, the first 50-50 player in major league history, and Triple Crown threat Aaron Judge lead the league Most Valuable Player finalists revealed on Monday.
The reigning American League MVP, Ohtani dominated his first season in the National League, joining the Dodgers and delivering an NL-best 54 home runs, 59 steals and a major-league-best 134 runs scored largely from Los Angeles’ leadoff spot.
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Judge, part of a prolific 1-2 punch with Juan Soto in the middle of the Yankees’ lineup, blasted a major-league-high 58 home runs to help New York win the American League East.
The 2022 AL MVP batted .322, which was third best in baseball, and led the majors with 144 RBIs, a .458 on-base percentage, a .701 slugging percentage and 133 walks.
The American League Player of the Month three times in 2024, Judge received the Players Choice Award Player of the Year last month.
Soto is another AL MVP finalist after leading the league with 128 runs scored while blasting a career-high 41 home runs. His .419 on-base percentage trailed only Judge’s.
Rounding out the list of finalists in the AL is Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who led majors in batting average, hitting .332 — nine points higher than second place. Witt also tallied 32 home runs to go along with 31 steals for the upstart Royals, who made the postseason for the first time in nine seasons.
Joining Ohtani as NL MVP finalists are New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte.
Lindor powered the Mets’ postseason run by catching fire at the plate. Over the season’s second half, Lindor batted .306 with a .368 on-base percentage, helping the Mets make the NLCS. The four-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner finished with a .274 average, 33 home runs, 39 doubles and 91 RBIs.
Marte set career highs in RBIs (95) and home runs (36). Marte’s slugging percentage (.560) was good for second in the league behind Ohtani’s .646. The 89-73 Diamondbacks barely missed making the postseason.
The MVP winners, in voting by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America, will be announced on Nov. 21. Ballots are due prior to the start of the postseason and are based on a weighted points system.
American League MVP winners since 2014
2023 Shohei Ohtani, Angels, DH/RHP
2022 Aaron Judge, Yankees, OF
2021 Shohei Ohtani, Angels, DH/RHP
2020 Jose Abreu, White Sox, 1B
2019 Mike Trout, Angels, CF
2018 Mookie Betts, Red Sox, OF
2017 Jose Altuve, Astros, 2B
2016 Mike Trout, Angels, CF
2015 Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays, 3B
2014 Mike Trout, Angels, CF
National League MVP winners since 2014
2023 Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves, OF
2022 Paul Goldschmidt, Cardinals, 1B
2021 Bryce Harper, Phillies, OF
2020 Freddie Freeman, Braves, 1B
2019 Cody Bellinger, Dodgers, OF
2018 Christian Yelich, Brewers, OF
2017 Giancarlo Stanton, Marlins, OF
2016 Kris Bryant, Cubs, 3B
2015 Bryce Harper, Nationals, OF
2014 Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers, LHP
Paul Skenes, Luis Gil lead Rookie of the Year finalists
Paul Skenes is officially a finalist for the National League Rookie of the Year award, while two New York Yankees are among the three finalists on the American League side.
Each league’s trio of finalists were revealed on Monday night. Skenes, the star Pittsburgh Pirates right-handed pitcher, is up against Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jackson Chourio and San Diego Padres outfielder Jackson Merrill.
Skenes is the leading candidate in the National League after claiming the award from multiple publications since the end of his first season.
The No. 1 pick in the 2023 MLB Draft, Skenes was promoted from the minors to the Pirates’ rotation on May 11. He led baseball in ERA from that point forward and became the fifth rookie pitcher to start the All-Star Game.
Skenes, 22, was 11-3 with a 1.96 ERA, 170 strikeouts and 0.95 WHIP in 2024.
Merrill had 162 hits in 156 games, batting .292 with 61 extra-base hits (24 home runs, 31 doubles, six triples) and 90 RBIs.
Chourio, in his first year in the big leagues for Milwaukee, batted .275 with 21 homers, 79 RBIs and 22 stolen bases in 148 games, splitting his time between left and right field.
A starting pitcher is also favored on the AL side. Yankees right-hander Luis Gil, who had seven career appearances before 2024, quickly earned a spot in the team’s starting rotation and finished the year with a 15-7 record, a 3.50 ERA, 171 strikeouts and a league-high 77 walks in 151 2/3 innings. He had 17 starts with one run or zero runs allowed.
His New York batterymate Austin Wells appeared in 115 games and hit .229 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs. The third AL finalist is Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser, who became an everyday player for the O’s and batted .242 with 24 homers and 69 RBIs in 153 games.
MLB will announce the winners in both leagues on Nov. 18.
Gil and Skenes were named rookies of the year in their respective leagues by Baseball Digest earlier this month.
AL Rookie of the Year winners since 2014
2023 Gunnar Henderson Baltimore SS
2022 Julio Rodriguez Seattle OF
2021 Randy Arozarena Tampa OF
2020 Kyle Lewis Seattle OF
2019 Yordan Alvarez Houston OF
2018 Shohei Ohtani Angels DH
2017 Aaron Judge Yankees RF
2016 Michael Fulmer Detroit SP
2015 Carlos Correa Houston SS
2014 Jose Abreu White Sox1B
NL Rookie of the Year winners since 2014
2023 Corbin Carroll Arizona LF
2022 Michael Harris II Atlanta CF
2021 Jonathan India Cincinnati 2B
2020 Devin Williams MilwaukeeRP
2019 Pete Alonso NY Mets 1B
2018 Ronald Acuna Jr. Atlanta CF
2017 Cody Bellinger Dodgers 1B
2016 Corey Seager Dodgers SS
2015 Kris Bryant Cubs 3B
2014 Jacob deGrom NY Mets SP
