Shohei Ohtani punctuated the Los Angeles Dodgers鈥 dominance in 2024 by winning the National League MVP award in a season when the two-way star served as a full-time designated hitter and produced historic offensive output for the eventual World Series champions.
Ohtani, who has a 38-19 record with a 3.01 ERA in 86 starts on the mound, did not pitch this past season following elbow surgery in September 2023. The Dodgers signed him this winter to a 10-year, $700 million free-agent deal, knowing he would not pitch in 2024.
The Japanese baseball marvel responded with the first season of at least 50 home runs and at least 50 stolen bases in MLB history. He became the first designated hitter to earn the MVP award. Ohtani won the award unanimously. He has now won three MVP awards, two in the American League and now one in the NL.
Ohtani, 30, is the only player to win the AL MVP and NL MVP in consecutive seasons. He鈥檚 now the second player to win MVP honors in both the NL and AL. He joined Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only players to win MVP in both leagues.
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Ohtani led the NL in home runs (54), RBIs (130), runs scored (134), on-base percentage (.390), slugging percentage (.646) and OPS (1.036). He also ranked second in the league in hits (197), batting average (.310), walks (81) and stolen bases (59).
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor received 23 of 30 second-place votes to finish as the runner-up. Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte finished third in the NL voting.
Former Cardinals slugger and current member of the Atlanta Braves Marcell Ozuna finished fourth. Milwaukee Brewers catcher William Contreras finished fifth. No member of the Cardinals received votes.
New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge won the AL MVP unanimously. It鈥檚 the second MVP award for Judge. Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. garnered all 30 second-place votes to finish as the runner-up, while Judge鈥檚 teammate Juan Soto finished third in the voting.
Ohtani helped pace the Dodgers to the best record in the best record in Major League Baseball with 98 wins, and the Dodgers鈥 championship gave them the eighth in franchise history. They鈥檙e now three behind the Cardinals for the most World Series championships for an NL franchise.
Ohtani, the prize of last year鈥檚 free-agent class, joined the Dodgers鈥 collection of stars after planting his flag as the most unique force in the majors while with the Los Angeles Angels.
The Dodgers鈥 three best position players were each acquired from other organizations after establishing themselves as stars. Mookie Betts won an MVP for his original organization, the Boston Red Sox. Likewise, Freddie Freeman earned an MVP award for the Atlanta Braves. The Dodgers traded for Betts and signed Freeman as a free agent.
The Dodgers鈥 ability to collect multiple highly regarded and highly compensated players from around the majors led Cardinals pitcher Miles Mikolas to disparagingly describe that club鈥檚 approach as 鈥渃heckbook baseball鈥 during spring training.
New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game 5 of the World Series on Oct. 30 in New York.
As the Cardinals focus their attention on establishing a strong foundation based on homegrown players and a thriving player development pipeline, the NL MVP race provides a clear indication of the immense impact produced by shrewd and targeted player acquisitions.
Lindor, who ranked second among NL shortstops in outs above average, had two Gold Gloves, a Platinum Glove and two Silver Slugger awards by the time the Mets swung a trade for him in January 2021.
This season, Lindor registered a slash line of .273/.344/.500 with 33 home runs and 29 stolen bases in 152 games. A former first-round pick of the Cleveland Guardians , Lindor finished the season tied for the sixth-most home runs in the NL, and he came up one stolen base shy of a 30-30 season.
Marte, the Diamondbacks switch-hitter, began his career with the Seattle Mariners. He came to the Diamondbacks as part of a trade that sent Taijuan Walker to the Mariners in November 2016.
This season, Marte led primary second basemen in home runs (36), RBIs (95) and wins above replacement (WAR) as calculated by (6.3).
Two of the three American League MVP finalists, Judge and Witt, have spent their entire professional careers with the organizations that drafted them. Their original franchises signed them to long-term contracts.
The Cardinals鈥 most recent NL MVP winner came in 2022 when Paul Goldschmidt captured the award. Albert Pujols is the Cardinals鈥 most recent homegrown MVP. He earned the honor three times (2005, 2008, 2009).
In the past 15 seasons, Cardinals who received MVP votes include Nolan Arenado (2022), Carlos Beltran (2012), Lance Berkman (2011), Matt Carpenter (2013, 2015, 2018), Allen Craig (2012, 2013), Jason Heyward (2015), Matt Holliday (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014), Yadier Molina (2011, 2012, 2013, 2016), Tyler O鈥橬eill (2021), Jhonny Peralta (2014), Tommy Pham (2017), Kolten Wong (2019), Goldschmidt (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022) and Pujols (2010, 2011).
Carpenter, Molina, Craig, Pham, Pujols and Wong were all players drafted by the Cardinals.
The Cardinals don't like the word "rebuild" but let's face it, that's what this is, say sports columnists Ben Frederickson and Jeff Gordon. So, what's a reasonable baseline for the 2025 team?
