25 things we learned from the 2024 MLB season

After signing a record-breaking cope with the Dodgers within the offseason, Shohei Ohtani began to earn his wage with a historic 50/50 season offensively whereas he rehabbed his elbow. The Japanese celebrity ought to return as a two-way participant subsequent season, however one way or the other, his 2024 as solely a hitter may develop into his most memorable.

The 2023 Mets had been a traditional instance of spending massive bucks not resulting in outcomes, and that pattern continued with the Dodgers this yr. Whereas LA nonetheless gained the NL West, their consequence was a bit disappointing with a failure to win 100 video games over a full season for the primary time since 2018. The Ohtani signing clearly paid off, however different high-profile strikes, just like the additions of Yosinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Joe Kelly, had combined outcomes on account of accidents.

The Montreal Expos had been the final MLB franchise to be ripped away from its fanbase till 2024, when the Oakland Athletics had the identical destiny. Proprietor Josh Fisher is chasing the cash in Las Vegas, and the non permanent plan to maneuver the A’s to a minor league park in Sacramento within the interim starting subsequent yr makes the transfer much more painful for followers. The one winner right here is Fisher, whereas MLB and its loyal followers in Oakland finally lose.

No baseball decision-maker is extra aggressive than Padres GM A.J. Preller, who made main strikes after a disappointing 2023 season. His efforts floundered final season, however they paid off in an enormous method this yr because the crew added a number of contributors within the Juan Soto commerce, signed Jurickson Profar, and traded for Dylan Stop, Luis Arraez, and a number of different contributors all through the season. The crew completed with its most common season wins since 1998.

An odd free agent market that noticed a number of groups fail to spend led to many key free brokers holding out till Spring Coaching. For probably the most half, these later signers had unhealthy years. The group included Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery, and Cody Bellinger. These struggles may make for an attention-grabbing 2025 offseason, with gamers attempting to signal earlier.

Kansas Metropolis misplaced 106 video games final season, and their lack of pitching was an enormous motive. Possession refused to attend, signing Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and several other reduction pitchers that helped spur a whole turnaround and playoff berth.

The Detroit Tigers had been clear sellers on the commerce deadline, transport out Jack Flaherty, Mark Canha, and Andrew Chafin as they’d little hope of constructing the playoffs. Surprisingly, the crew had different concepts with a number of key hitters getting back from harm and a powerful bullpen down the stretch. Tarik Skubal’s dominance additionally helped the Tigers do the practically inconceivable, leaping the Twins with a sizzling closing two months.

Chris Sale was clearly one among baseball’s greatest pitchers within the 2010s with the streak of seven seasons from 2012-2018 ending high six in Cy Younger voting. Nevertheless, accidents plagued him for a lot of his early 30’s in Boston, and the lefty was traded to Atlanta final offseason for Vaughn Grissom. Sale efficiently revitalized his profession with a change of surroundings, and could be very more likely to win the NL Cy Younger after main the league in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. Different veterans like Jameson Taillon, Jack Flaherty, and Carlos Rodon additionally had robust rebound seasons.

The Cardinals had been one among baseball’s most constant franchises over the past twenty years largely on account of their means to draft and develop gamers. That benefit seemingly started to stall in latest seasons, and the product on the sector has lastly began to endure over the past two seasons. Former high prospects Dylan Carlson, Jordan Walker, and Nolan Gorman are simply a few of the gamers who’ve apparently did not develop beneath the present regime.

Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has had a exceptional profession constructing franchises into winners just like the Marlins, Tigers, Purple Sox, and now Phillies. The large spending of Philadelphia possession and route of Dombrowski has helped the crew make robust playoff runs the final two years, and so they might be on the cusp of a 3rd run after successful the NL East this season.

Cleveland stunned to win the AL Central this season on the energy of their dominant bullpen. Regardless of a shaky beginning rotation, the crew’s bullpen was greater than a half-run higher than every other in MLB and stored the crew constantly on the high of the division standings. It also needs to come as no shock that the highest six bullpens in ERA this season made the playoffs.

Seattle completed with the bottom rotation ERA in baseball, sporting an unimaginable beginning 5 this season with Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller, and Bryan Woo. That rotation may have been a terror within the playoffs, however we’ll by no means know as a result of the Mariners completed nicely out of the race on account of their anemic offense.

Many critics proclaimed the Astros dynasty to be over when the crew was 10-19 by means of April. Whereas Houston did run into hardships this season, together with a significant leg harm to Kyle Tucker, their pitching ultimately acquired on monitor and the crew simply overcame the Mariners to win the AL West.

Baseball followers have been spoiled in latest seasons by rookie hitters bursting onto the scene, however 2024 introduced principally struggles for arriving prospects. Early favorites like Wyatt Langford and Jackson Holliday struggled in MLB for many of the yr.

The offseason introduced the surprising transfer of former Brewers supervisor Craig Counsell from Milwaukee to the rival Cubs. Oddsmakers seemed on the Cubs as one of many favorites within the NL Central, however the consequence was a disappointing yr for Chicago whereas the Brewers overcame the chances to win the division. We noticed an identical shock in Cleveland, as Stephen Vogt changed the legendary Terry Francona to win the AL Central.

Greater than ever earlier than, high MLB coaches are displaying their worth on the sector. The Purple Sox beginning rotation made terrific progress throughout the road following the hiring of pitching coach Andrew Bailey. Elsewhere, the Guardians made crucial hires like area coordinator Kai Correa that clearly paid off within the crew’s robust protection.

The slide for the White Sox began final season, however few may have predicted how far the crew would fall in 2024. Chicago set the fashionable MLB loss file after their firesale continued within the offseason, and stars like Luis Robert Jr. failed to supply on the sector.

The Rangers stunned to win the 2023 World Sequence, however all of the innings for his or her deep playoff run might need led to a hangover for the veteran squad. Veteran gamers like Marcus Semien, Adolis Garcia, Jonah Heim, Max Scherzer, and Jon Grey had down years, whereas the crew additionally noticed its fair proportion of accidents. Texas followers can take solace in supervisor Bruce Bochy’s historical past in San Francisco, the place he bounced again after post-World Sequence disappointment twice to win once more.

Arizona had a superb 2023 season exceeding expectations, and tried to capitalize on it by including free agent starters Eduardo Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery. Rodriguez missed many of the season on account of a shoulder harm, whereas Montgomery was arguably the crew’s worst pitcher after signing late in Spring Coaching. In consequence, the rotation remained an enormous subject for the crew.

The Angels have had a transparent crew structure beneath proprietor Arte Moreno, signing stars to massive contracts however going low-cost in different areas. Their refusal to put money into the farm system and function gamers has clearly harm the crew on the sector, with a final place end in 2024 whereas virtually of the crew’s high-priced contracts missed vital time.

The Nationals have had an ongoing firesale since successful the World Sequence in 2019, shedding a number of franchise gamers. The rebuild has been painful, however followers lastly began to see the crew’s younger stars shine in 2024. The promotion of high prospects James Wooden and Dylan Crews might be the beginning of a crew that is able to compete for a playoff spot quickly.

Coming off the frustration of the 2023 season, the Yankees made a blockbuster commerce for pending free agent Juan Soto. He joined Aaron Decide, and the outfielders met all expectations within the lineup. Sadly, not many different hitters within the lineup reached their profession norms, however the Yankees had been nonetheless the highest offense within the AL due to the consistency of Decide and Soto.

Drafted first total in 2023, Paul Skenes was worthy of the hype with a sub-2.00 ERA en path to probably NL Rookie of the Yr. The Pirates additionally noticed a powerful rookie season from Jared Jones, together with veterans Mitch Keller and Luis Ortiz. With a number of extra high pitching prospects on the way in which, Pittsburgh has hope of an elite rotation quickly.

Being a Marlins fan is usually a thankless endeavor, with quite a few rebuilds throughout their historical past. After shocking to make the playoffs final yr, the crew is present process one more rebuild with a brand new entrance workplace. Miami struggled as soon as once more in 2024, and people struggles will probably proceed after buying and selling a number of key veterans.

The cliche about by no means having sufficient pitching has by no means been more true with the myriad of arm accidents in trendy baseball. Each season appears to interrupt data for arm surgical procedures, and we noticed no scarcity of high arms injured in 2024. That features high starters like Spencer Strider, Shane Bieber, Kyle Bradish, and Grayson Rodriguez, amongst others.