PHOENIX — Throughout the season, we were treated to mesmerizing performances, with Shohei Ohtani dazzling fans with home runs and stolen bases almost daily, all while speculating if Aaron Judge’s performance might surpass his.

The emergence of rookie Paul Skenes in Pittsburgh captivated audiences, along with Detroit’s Tarik Skubal, a pitcher with an unconventional name, who showcased dominance on the mound.

The Detroit Tigers made an unbelievable comeback, provoking thoughts about whether they should thank the Minnesota Twins for their spectacular collapse at the end of the season.

The San Diego Padres underwent a $100 million payroll cut, unloading several key players, yet they managed to become a formidable contender for their first World Series title.

Even though there wasn’t a team that won 100 games, we witnessed a historic low with a team losing 121.

We saw a ballpark in Oakland shut down, all while pondering if we’ll really experience 160-degree heat on the artificial turf in Sacramento.

With 186 days since opening day, just as we thought the season was wrapping up Sunday, the excitement continues with more National League wild-card drama unfolding on Monday.

As we await the playoff lineup and look forward to Ohtani’s debut in postseason play, here are our picks for the 2024 awards, which are sure to spark agreement and frustration alike.

NL MVP: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

Do you remember the absurd debate from a few weeks back about whether New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor should be the MVP because he plays defense while Shohei Ohtani focuses on hitting homers and stealing bases?

Is anyone still making that argument?

Ohtani has had the best season ever as a designated hitter, turning this year into a personal video game. He not only made history with his unprecedented achievement of hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases, but he’s grown even stronger, leading the league with 25 home runs and 35 stolen bases since the All-Star break.

Only one other player has led MLB in both categories after the All-Star break: the legendary Willie Mays back in 1955.

The lingering question is whether Ohtani will become the first National League player since 1937 to capture the Triple Crown, a feat last accomplished by Joe “Ducky” Medwick.

With his current total of 54 home runs, 58 stolen bases, and a remarkable 130 RBIs, he’s made a strong case.

He’s currently batting .310, closely trailing Luis Arraez of the Padres, who is at .314.

It’s safe to say we might never witness a pitcher returning from Tommy John surgery put up statistics like these again.

AL MVP: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

Bobby Witt Jr. delivered one of the most impressive seasons for a shortstop in MLB history, helping the Kansas City Royals reach the playoffs after a dismal 106-loss season last year.

If he were to start a franchise today, every general manager would unanimously select him.

However, his performance will be remembered as the best season from an MVP runner-up since Barry Bonds lost out to his Giants teammate Jeff Kent in 2000.

Simply put, no one had a better regular season than Aaron Judge, who not only transitioned to center field but also smashed 58 home runs and knocked in 144 RBIs while boasting a .458 on-base percentage. He joins legends like Babe Ruth, Hack Wilson, Jimmie Fox, Mickey Mantle, Barry Bonds, and Mark McGwire as one of the few players to hit 50 home runs with an on-base percentage exceeding .450.

Case closed.

NL Cy Young: Chris Sale, Atlanta

It’s surprising that Chris Sale has never claimed a Cy Young award, despite finishing in the top 6 of voting seven times and receiving MVP votes in four separate seasons.

That’s about to change this November.

This year, at 35 years old, Sale has been a powerhouse in the NL, earning the pitching triple crown with 18 wins, a 2.38 ERA, and 225 strikeouts. The only other pitchers over 35 to achieve this milestone are legends Walter Johnson (1924), Roger Clemens (1998), and Randy Johnson (2002), according to STATS Perform.

Remarkably, Sale won more games this season than he did in the last five years combined while in Boston, and pitched more innings (177⅔) than in the previous four years.

Apologies to Zack Wheeler of the Phillies, but Sale’s impressive performance earns him his first Cy Young title.

AL Cy Young: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

Kingman, Arizona, used to be just a fueling stop on the way to Las Vegas.

Now? It’s the home base of Tarik Skubal, who is on the verge of clinching the AL Cy Young award unanimously.

He topped the league with 18 wins, a 2.39 ERA, and 228 strikeouts, allowing just a .159/.214/.220 opposing slash line with only three extra-base hits.

And when the Tigers required him most in the late season, he delivered spectacularly, going 6-0 with a 1.94 ERA in his last nine starts.

NL Rookie of the Year: Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres

The competition for this year’s rookie awards is particularly exciting, especially with so many talented newcomers, like Paul Skenes from the Pittsburgh Pirates, emerging as popular figures in baseball.

Skenes has been outstanding this season, boasting an impressive record of 11 wins and 3 losses, a 1.96 ERA, and a remarkable 133 innings pitched with 170 strikeouts. He is the first rookie to achieve an ERA below 2.00 in over 20 starts in a season since Reb Russell accomplished it in 1913 with a 1.90 ERA.

However, while Skenes has been dazzling, no rookie has had a greater impact on their team than Jackson Merrill of the San Diego Padres, who is having the best rookie season in the franchise’s history. This 21-year-old shortstop had only played in 46 games above Class A prior to this season and had no experience playing in the outfield. Despite this, he became the Padres’ most valuable player.

Merrill has a batting average of .292 with an OPS of .824, contributing significantly with four critical home runs that either tied the game or put the Padres ahead in the eighth or ninth innings over a span of ten games while also playing exceptional defense.

In contrast to Skenes, who only played in 23 games with the Pirates sitting at the bottom of the NL Central, Merrill participated in 155 games and was a key player in leading the Padres to a strong position in the wild-card race. Without him, the Padres would likely be watching from home in October, much like the Pirates.

AL Rookie of the Year: Colton Cowser, Baltimore Orioles

Wasn’t everyone expecting Jackson Holliday to take home this award?

No matter what, it will still go to an Oriole, as Cowser leads all AL rookies in nearly every offensive category. He’s not just a top hitter—he’s also an outstanding defensive outfielder, having recorded more outs above average than the entire Orioles team combined.

Although it was a tough choice, we lean towards the everyday player over Yankees starter Luis Gil, even though Gil had 17 starts allowing one run or fewer, the most by a rookie since George McQuillan in 1908.

NL Manager of the Year: Pat Murphy, Milwaukee Brewers

There is definitely a strong argument for Mike Shildt of the San Diego Padres. Atlanta’s Brian Snitker has miraculously kept his team competitive despite dealing with more injuries to key players than any other team in the league.

However, when you trade away your Cy Young winner at the beginning of spring training, lose nearly your entire starting rotation, go the first half of the season without All-Star closer Devin Williams, and lose your star player Christian Yelich for the season in August—and still manage to dominate the NL Central with the second-lowest payroll in the division—it’s a testament to miraculous management.

Pat Murphy, at 65 years old and in his first full season as manager, has certainly made fans in Wisconsin forget about the previous regime in Chicago.

Murphy will be the first manager in Brewers history to win this prestigious award.

AL Manager of the Year: Matt Quatraro, Kansas City Royals

Rookie manager Stephen Vogt also deserves credit for stepping into the role last held by Hall of Famer Terry Francona and guiding the Cleveland Guardians back to the playoffs.

Despite the Detroit Tigers’ management giving up on the season by trading Jack Flaherty and other veterans at the deadline, manager A.J. Hinch rallied his young players to achieve remarkable success, finishing 31-11 in the closing stretch of the season.

Nonetheless, when you take a small-market team that had a disappointing 106 losses last year and transform them into a playoff contender in one of the most remarkable turnarounds in baseball, Quatraro deserves recognition for his incredible accomplishment.

NL Executive of the Year: A.J. Preller, San Diego Padres

Faced with a directive to cut $100 million from payroll, Preller found himself in a tough spot—having to trade Juan Soto, let Cy Young winner Blake Snell leave, and watch as All-Star closer Josh Hader along with veterans Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha departed as well.

Despite these challenges, Preller didn’t give in. Instead, he made resourceful trades, acquiring talents like Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez from his farm system, leading to a successful season that has returned the Padres to playoff contention in San Diego.

AL Executive of the Year: J.J. Picollo, Kansas City Royals

When Picollo stepped in to lead the Royals two years ago, he was not focused on elaborate long-term plans.

He didn’t complain about the difficulties of operating in a small market or about last year’s struggles. Instead, he took action, hiring 30 new members for the baseball operations team and scouring the free agency market for starting pitchers, securing Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, along with veteran players like Hunter Renfroe, Adam Frazier, and Garrett Hampson. When summer came, he brought in extra help with trades for Lucas Erceg, Tommy Pham, Paul DeJong, Yuli Gurriel, and Robbie Grossman.

Now, the team has 19 players on the roster who weren’t there at the beginning of 2022, and for the first time since 2015, the Royals are heading to October.

Best Free Agent Signing: Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs

Many teams scouted Imanaga in Japan, yet few saw him as anything more than a seasoned No. 4 or No. 5 starter due to concerns about his age, command, and fastball quality.

Still, the Cubs took a chance, signing Imanaga to a four-year, $53 million deal.

This might be the best investment the franchise has made since they signed Andre Dawson for $500,000 in 1987.

Imanaga finished the season with a record of 15 wins and 3 losses, a 2.91 ERA, and the fourth-lowest walk percentage in the league, striking out 174 batters over 173.1 innings. Meanwhile, another highly sought-after Japanese pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, signed a massive 12-year, $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, but went 7-2 with a 3.00 ERA this season.

only 90 innings after being sidelined for almost three months due to a strained rotator cuff.

Most Notable Trade: Chris Sale, Atlanta

The Boston Red Sox, known for their past decisions like selling Babe Ruth to the Yankees and trading Mookie Betts to the Dodgers, made another controversial move by sending Chris Sale to Atlanta.

This trade was a major win for Atlanta, who not only acquired Sale for the underperforming infielder Vaughn Grissom, but the Red Sox also transferred $17 million to Atlanta to cover Sale’s entire contract.

Atlanta was in a tough spot in July and wouldn’t have survived without Sale.

If the Red Sox had kept Sale, they might have qualified for the playoffs.

Baseball Updates

– The St. Louis Cardinals will make several staffing announcements on Monday as Chaim Bloom takes on a bigger role. They are looking to trade veteran pitcher Sonny Gray while also aiming to cut costs.

Gray, who signed a three-year deal worth $75 million last winter, has a full no-trade clause. The Cincinnati Reds are anticipated to be among the teams keen on acquiring him.

– Skip Schumaker officially told the Marlins and his players that he won’t be returning before heading out on Friday for a family matter. He is the top candidate for the Cincinnati Reds, along with former Cubs manager David Ross, who is also expected to be interviewed.

– It’s high time Carlos Beltran, currently a special assistant with the New York Mets, starts getting interviews for managerial positions. He could be a great match for the White Sox if they decide not to keep Grady Sizemore.

– The Pittsburgh Pirates recently let go of Rowdy Tellez, missing out on a $200,000 bonus by just four plate appearances. However, another team, which is trying to save money, offered $250,000.

The Chicago White Sox, who set a record with 121 losses, allowed veteran Chris Flexen (3-15, 4.95 ERA) to make one last start this past week. He pitched 6⅓ scoreless innings, bringing his season total to exactly 160 innings and earning a $250,000 incentive.

In what has been a challenging season for the White Sox, credit goes to GM Chris Getz and interim manager Grady Sizemore for making the right call.

– There are numerous speculations about the future of Twins manager Rocco Baldelli after the team’s poor performance—losing 26 out of their last 38 games—but the Twins intend to keep him while making several changes among the coaching staff.

Baldelli expressed, “I hadn’t gone through anything like this in my baseball career, and I hope to never experience it again.This will stick with me forever.”

– The Detroit Tigers are the only playoff team that has not sent any professional scouts on the road to prepare reports for their upcoming rivals.

– The Milwaukee Brewers are monitoring veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt of the St. Louis Cardinals, should the Cardinals decide against re-signing him. They still see potential in him.

– White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet is keen on a long-term contract extension, but the team still plans to trade him this winter, with the Philadelphia Phillies showing interest.

– The Kansas City Royals are fortunate to be in the same division as the White Sox this season, boasting a 12-1 record against them while holding a losing record (73-75) against all other teams as of Sunday.

– Many pitchers and orthopedic experts have questioned whether the implementation of the pitch clock and the foreign substance ban has caused more injuries; however, MLB studies indicate that this season has seen the lowest injury rates among pitchers since 2018.

– Texas Rangers manager Bruce Bochy is reportedly poised to return for the 2025 season, despite ongoing rumors regarding his possible retirement.

– Gabe Kapler, who has managed the Philadelphia Phillies and San Francisco Giants, is expected to remain in the Marlins’ front office as assistant GM and will not pursue another managerial position.

– If All-Star first baseman Pete Alonso doesn’t return to the Mets, rival executives speculate he will likely end up with either the Seattle Mariners or the Chicago Cubs.

– Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames is raising his market value significantly as he heads into free agency in November. He has achieved 32 home runs, 111 RBIs, and 21 stolen bases, becoming one of only four shortstops in MLB history to reach 30 home runs, 100 RBIs, and 20 steals in a single season.

– The Tigers traded starting pitcher Jack Flaherty and reliever Andrew Chafin before the July 30 deadline, and after their game on August 10, they were eight games under .500 and 10 games behind in the wild-card standings.

Fangraphs had their playoff chances at only 0.2%. Now, after a 31-11 record, they are set to return to the postseason for the first time in a decade.

– Out of the managers leading this year’s postseason teams, only two have managed full-time for another organization:

• Tigers’ A.J. Hinch (Arizona and Houston)
• Padres’ Mike Shildt (St. Louis).

Additionally, there are three rookie managers poised to participate in the postseason, with a potential fourth:

• Pat Murphy, Milwaukee Brewers
• Joe Espada, Houston Astros
• Stephen Vogt, Cleveland Guardians
• Carlos Mendoza, New York Mets*