Numbers don't lie, but they definitely argue. If you spent any time on baseball Twitter—or whatever we're calling it this week—during the final stretch of the last season, you know the vibe. Fans were brandishing spreadsheets like weapons.
The 2024 season was a statistical fever dream. We saw a guy hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases for the first time ever, yet somehow, he wasn't even the undisputed king of Wins Above Replacement (WAR). That's the beauty of mlb war leaders 2024. It isn't just a list of names; it’s a map of how the game is changing.
WAR is basically the Swiss Army knife of baseball stats. It tries to condense everything—hitting, baserunning, fielding, and the difficulty of the position—into one single number. But here's the kicker: the two main sites that calculate it, Baseball-Reference (bWAR) and FanGraphs (fWAR), use different formulas.
This is why you'll see one guy at the top of one list and a different name on the other. It’s confusing. It’s messy. It’s baseball.
The Titan at the Top: Aaron Judge
Honestly, what Aaron Judge did in 2024 was borderline illegal in 30 states. He finished as the clear leader in almost every version of the metric. On FanGraphs, he posted a staggering 11.3 fWAR. Baseball-Reference was even more impressed, eventually adjusting his total to an eye-watering 11.4 bWAR.
To put that in perspective, a "good" player usually hovers around 2.0. An All-Star is a 4.0 or 5.0.
💡 You might also like: El Salvador partido de hoy: Why La Selecta is at a Critical Turning Point
An 11-WAR season is historical. It’s the kind of year where you stop looking at current players for comparison and start looking at black-and-white photos of Babe Ruth or Mickey Mantle. Judge didn't just lead the league; he lapped it. His 58 home runs were the headline, but his .458 on-base percentage (OBP) was the real soul-crusher for opposing pitchers. Basically, every time he stepped to the plate, there was a nearly 50% chance he was getting on base.
Bobby Witt Jr. and the Great Shortstop Leap
If Judge was the unstoppable force, Bobby Witt Jr. was the immovable object in the MVP conversation. For a good chunk of the summer, Witt was actually neck-and-neck with Judge in the WAR race. Why? Because Witt plays a premium defensive position (shortstop) at an elite level, whereas Judge spent a lot of time in center field where his defensive metrics were... let's just say, human.
Witt finished the season with 10.5 fWAR and 9.4 bWAR.
He became the first shortstop in history with multiple 30/30 seasons. He led the majors in hits with 211 and took home the AL batting title with a .332 average. While Judge was providing pure power, Witt was providing a total-package value that we rarely see. He was the reason the Kansas City Royals went from a 100-loss team to a postseason contender.
The Shohei Ohtani Paradox
Then there's Shohei. The unicorn. The 50/50 man.
📖 Related: Meaning of Grand Slam: Why We Use It for Tennis, Baseball, and Breakfast
Ohtani’s 2024 campaign was weird because, for the first time in years, he didn't pitch. He was a full-time Designated Hitter. Traditionally, WAR penalizes DHs heavily because they don't play defense. You have to hit like a god just to break even.
Ohtani hit like a god.
He finished with 9.2 bWAR and 8.9 fWAR. It was, by any objective measure, the greatest offensive season ever by a DH. He led the NL in home runs (54), runs scored (134), and total bases (411). Even without throwing a single pitch, Ohtani was more valuable than almost every other player who played both sides of the ball.
Pitching Perfection: Sale and Skubal
We can’t talk about mlb war leaders 2024 without looking at the guys on the mound. While position players usually rack up higher totals because they play every day, the 2024 pitching leaders were dominant in their own right.
- Chris Sale (ATL): The comeback story of the decade. He grabbed the Triple Crown of pitching in the NL and led all hurlers with 6.4 fWAR (and 6.2 bWAR).
- Tarik Skubal (DET): The AL version of dominance. He carried the Tigers to a miracle playoff berth and finished right behind Sale with 6.0 fWAR.
- Zack Wheeler (PHI): The workhorse. Wheeler hit the 200-inning mark and finished with 5.4 fWAR, proving that longevity and consistency are still massive value-adds.
The Nuance: Why the Numbers Vary
You've probably noticed that the "top 10" lists look slightly different depending on where you look. That’s because Baseball-Reference cares more about what happened (Runs Allowed for pitchers), while FanGraphs cares more about what should have happened (FIP, or Fielder Independent Pitching).
👉 See also: NFL Week 5 2025 Point Spreads: What Most People Get Wrong
Take Jarren Duran of the Red Sox. He had a massive 8.7 bWAR because the defensive metrics at Baseball-Reference absolutely loved his range in the outfield. FanGraphs was a bit more conservative, putting him at 6.8 fWAR. Neither is "wrong," they just value different things.
The Final Top 10 (fWAR Combined)
- Aaron Judge (NYY): 11.3
- Bobby Witt Jr. (KCR): 10.5
- Shohei Ohtani (LAD): 8.9
- Juan Soto (NYY): 8.3
- Gunnar Henderson (BAL): 7.9
- Francisco Lindor (NYM): 7.7
- Jarren Duran (BOS): 6.8
- Elly De La Cruz (CIN): 6.6
- José Ramírez (CLE): 6.5
- Chris Sale (ATL): 6.4
What This Means for Your 2025 Draft
If you're a fantasy player or just a die-hard fan trying to win an argument at the bar, these numbers are your best friend. They show that "value" isn't just about home runs. It’s about the guys who show up every day and contribute in every column.
Next Steps for the Savvy Fan:
- Check the splits: Look at how players performed in the second half. Bobby Witt Jr. actually out-WAR'd Judge in the final two months, which tells you a lot about his trajectory.
- Watch the position adjustments: Keep an eye on guys like Mookie Betts or Gunnar Henderson. When a player moves from a "hard" position like shortstop to an "easy" one like right field, their WAR will naturally dip even if they hit the same.
- Don't ignore the pitchers: In many leagues, a 6-WAR pitcher is worth more than an 8-WAR hitter because elite pitching is much harder to find.
The 2024 season proved that we are in a new golden age of talent. Whether you prefer Judge's raw power or Witt's all-around brilliance, the data shows we're watching history. Stick to the numbers, but don't forget to enjoy the show.
Actionable Insight: To truly understand player value for the upcoming season, compare a player's fWAR to their bWAR. If there is a massive gap (more than 1.5 points), it usually means their defensive metrics are volatile. Bet on the guys where both sites agree—like Judge and Witt—as they are the safest bets for sustained elite production.