Honestly, we all knew it was coming, but seeing it actually happen felt different. When the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced the National League MVP 2024 results, the name at the top wasn't a shocker. Shohei Ohtani didn't just win; he steamrolled the competition. He took home all 30 first-place votes, joining the legendary Frank Robinson as the only player to win the MVP in both the American and National Leagues.
But there’s a segment of the baseball world—mostly centered around Queens—that still feels a little bit slighted. Francisco Lindor had the kind of season that wins an MVP 95% of the time. He played elite defense at shortstop, led a dead-in-the-water Mets team to the playoffs, and put up massive offensive numbers. Yet, he didn't get a single first-place vote.
Why? Because Ohtani decided to invent a new sport in 2024.
The 50/50 Club and the DH Glass Ceiling
For decades, there was this unwritten rule in baseball: Designated Hitters don't win MVPs. The logic was simple. If you don't pick up a glove, you aren't "valuable" enough compared to someone who plays 150 games at a premium position like shortstop or center field.
Ohtani broke that rule into tiny pieces.
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He didn't just hit; he terrorized the basepaths. By the time the dust settled, he had 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. Nobody had ever even gone 50/50 before. Heck, before Shohei, the idea of a 50/50 season sounded like something you’d only see in a glitchy video game.
Look at the raw production he put up for the Dodgers:
- Slash Line: .310/.390/.646
- Total Bases: 411 (The first player to cross 400 since Barry Bonds and Luis Gonzalez in 2001)
- Runs Batted In: 130
- Runs Scored: 134
When you’re leading the league in home runs, runs, RBI, on-base percentage, and slugging, people tend to overlook the fact that you spent the defensive half of the inning sitting on a bench with a heater on your elbow.
That One Night in Miami
If you want to know why the National League MVP 2024 race ended on September 19, look at the box score from the Dodgers' game against the Marlins. It’s arguably the greatest single-game performance in the history of the sport.
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Shohei went 6-for-6. He hit three home runs. He drove in 10 runs. He stole two bases. He basically clinched the 50/50 milestone and the MVP trophy in a three-hour window. It was the kind of "He's the Main Character" moment that voters simply cannot ignore.
The Francisco Lindor Argument: A Masterclass in Bad Timing
You really have to feel for Francisco Lindor. In almost any other year, he’s the guy. He finished 2024 with a 7.0 fWAR, 33 home runs, and 29 stolen bases while playing Gold Glove-caliber defense.
The Mets were 0-5. They were 22-33. They were a joke. Then Lindor took over. He moved to the leadoff spot and basically willed that team into the NLCS. If you value "Value" in the literal sense—who did the most for their specific team's success—Lindor has a massive case.
But the gap in pure offensive production was just too wide. Ohtani’s OPS was 1.036. Lindor’s was .844. That’s not a gap; that’s a canyon. Even with Lindor’s defensive brilliance, the "Value" added by Shohei’s historic hitting was calculated at 9.2 bWAR.
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Ketel Marte: The Forgotten Third Man
We can't talk about the National League MVP 2024 without mentioning Ketel Marte. The Diamondbacks second baseman finished third, and honestly, he was incredible.
He hit 36 home runs and finished with a .932 OPS. For a long stretch in the summer, Marte was actually keeping pace with Ohtani in several advanced metrics. An ankle injury slowed him down toward the finish line, but his season was a reminder that the National League is currently loaded with once-in-a-generation talent.
What This Means for 2025 and Beyond
Ohtani winning as a DH changes the geometry of the award. It proves that if you are historic enough at the plate, the lack of a position doesn't matter. But here’s the scary part for the rest of the league: Ohtani is going back to the mound in 2025.
He won the National League MVP 2024 while "recovering" from surgery. He was a one-way player. Next year, he’ll be hitting 50 homers and throwing 100 mph again.
Actionable Insights for Baseball Fans
If you're looking to track the next race or just want to sound smarter at the bar, keep these three things in mind:
- Watch the 400 Total Bases Mark: It’s the true sign of an elite, dominant season. If someone is approaching 400, they are the MVP frontrunner.
- The "DH Penalty" is Gone: Don't automatically discount players like Yordan Alvarez or Marcell Ozuna in future races just because they don't play the field. The precedent has been set.
- WAR isn't Everything: Lindor had the "narrative" and the "defense," but Ohtani had the "historic milestones." In the eyes of the BBWAA, history beats narrative every single time.
The 2024 season was a fever dream. We saw the first 50/50 player, a unanimous winner from the DH spot, and a runner-up who played arguably the best shortstop of the decade. It wasn't just a race; it was a shift in how we define greatness in modern baseball.