National League: MVP Finalists
New York Mets SS Francisco Lindor and Los Angeles Dodgers DH Shohei Ohtani have taken home the 2024 Silver Slugger Award at their respective positions.
Both players are 2024 National League MVP Finalists, having played world-class baseball and showcased unbelievable athletic ability over the season. Both are generational, unprecedented, and unfathomably elite baseball players. However, there is a clear and obvious National League MVP; Francisco Lindor.
When the words “Most Valuable” are being used, all involved baseball activities should be brought into the conversation: Offensive, and defensive.
Designated Hitter / Shohei Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani is an elite hitter, probably one of the best baseball has seen thus far – in the regular season. For 2024, the DH and World Series Champ put up a .310 AVG / .390 OBP / 1.036 OPS with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases – Undoubtedly impressive. Ohtani was absent from the mound for 2024 to recover from Tommy John surgery had the prior season. What’s notable about Ohtani’s pitching is that it is not a direct correlation to his batting. The Dodgers’ DH is a top five hitter, but not a top five pitcher. Now, if we’re talking about the most valuable ballplayer in 2024 as a whole, I struggle dubbing Ohtani to be just that given the title itself.
Putting up incredible stats in the 2024 season, and arguably doing so by only playing half the amount of innings on a team that probably would have won the World Series without him – and actually did win “without him” (Ohtani put up a .105 AVG with two hits and two runs scored over those five games) — Just doesn’t scream unanimously “most valuable.” Shohei Ohtani was undeniably a valuable player, just not the most valuable player.
Shortstop / Francisco Lindor
Clubhouse Value
Taking it back to May 29th of the 2024 season – The Mets were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Reliever Jorge Lopez tossed his glove into the stands on his way to the clubhouse after being ejected for arguing with a third-base umpire over a check-swing call. The Mets’ record fell to 22-33, putting them 11 games under .500. Lopez’s postgame comments raised some questions, with many believing he told a reporter that the Mets were the “worst team in the MLB.”
Shortstop Francisco Lindor called the famous “players-only” meeting that night. Now, the Silver Slugger Winning shortstop wasn’t playing to his standard at the time either – Having slashed a sub .200 AVG at this time. He took it upon himself to call this meeting to refocus the team, and it had reignited a fire in the Mets’ players just ahead of their June Bloom in the Grimace/After-Grimace Era. That is credited by Mets fans as the turning point of the season. They went on to have the best record in baseball for June, went into July 40-41, left August 71-64, and went into October at 89-72.
Go-to-Guy: Mr. Clutch
As per Baseball Savant’s 2024 Leaderboard for Outs Above Average, Lindor scored in the 99% percentile of defensive players at 16 OAA – Making him one of the best defenders in the league. He is a consistent anchor in the infield.
he could be watching cocomelon right now but he decides to do this pic.twitter.com/jnmNN0yJMu
— New York Mets (@Mets) October 3, 2024
Not only is Lindor an elite shortstop – And the only one in Major League Baseball history to put up at least 25 home runs with at least 25 stolen bases for three seasons – But he is a .260+ Career AVG switch-hitter (on both sides) who had multiple “most important moment(s) of his career” in 2024 alone.
The Mets only clinched the Wild Card berth because of Francisco Lindor’s go-ahead game-winning home run over the Atlanta Braves. The Mets went on to the NLCS from Lindor’s Grand Slam in Game Four of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies. AND the Mets can credit Lindor with igniting a NLCS game two comeback (and runs parade) with a leadoff home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
FRANCISCO LINDOR. GRAND SLAM. #NLDS pic.twitter.com/CdKuEVOfT3
— MLB (@MLB) October 9, 2024
Offseason Moves – De Facto Captain
He is [reportedly] actively recruiting superstar free agent Juan Soto by being in California for the David Stearns/Steve Cohen/Scott Boras meeting — That’s unwavering dedication to winning.
Most Valuable Player
The Dodgers would have won the World Series without Ohtani. But let’s not discredit his incredible season – He just didn’t play the same amount of great baseball as Lindor, nor was he as integral to the Dodgers as Lindor was to the Mets in 2024. That’s where the “winning” chunk of MVP-worthiness lies.
MVPs also play defense. Francisco Lindor saved the 2024 New York Mets. He is incredible at the plate, in the field, and in the clubhouse – A true leader. Had Lindor not held that players meeting, or played the same caliber of elite baseball from June through September, the Mets wouldn’t have even sniffed the postseason. Lindor is the guy you know will deliver a clutch moment; a HR/RBI/game-influencing glove-work. He is the playmaker; the guy to reset and realign everyone else. He was integral for the 2024 New York Mets’ season as a whole. He is integral to baseball. He is absolutely irreplaceable, absolutely the National League’s Most Valuable Player.
