The 2024 Major League Baseball season, in one word, was unforgettable. Years-old records were broken, new records were created, and most importantly, the fans were treated to a World Series everyone secretly wanted—the New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two biggest franchises, the two most famous Major League Baseball stars, Aaron Judge vs. Shohei Ohtani, face to face.

5X World Series champion Derek Jeter mentioned it’s a “Dream World Series.” From heart-stopping rallies to adorable dogs taking the first pitch, this season experienced everything. Now that the year is almost behind us and the off-season trades are settling down, it’s time to reflect on how the 2024 season went. Some players have been absolute hits, and some missed big-time.

Hits of this MLB season

Shohei Ohtani 

Without a doubt, the hits start with the Japanese star and the American heartthrob of today: Shohei Ohtani, who turned heads by signing with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He got a record-breaking $700 million deal—something that was never seen in Major League Baseball. But the majority of the contract was deferred. $680 million will be paid to him without any interest from 2034 to 2043. His annual take-home salary would be $2 million. While most thought it was risky, LA took that gamble, and it did pay off!

Shohei Ohtani opened the doors to the 50-50 club on September 19, 2024. He also finished the season with 59 stolen bases and 54 home runs. Not a single player finished in the top two in both home runs and stolen bases since Ty Cobb’s epic 1909 season. But Ohtani did it, and as if that wasn’t enough! He even racked up 411 total bases. As far as the Dodgers’ investment, it’s paying up in spades.

Forbes revealed that the Dodger’s value has increased from $4.8 billion to $5.5 billion in Major League Baseball—that’s a neat $700 million jump. Shohei Ohtani was the moment, and the Dodgers fans saw history being created.

Paul Skenes 

Paul Skene’s rookie season with the Pittsburgh Pirates was nothing short of extraordinary. The 22-year-old turned out to be one of the brightest stars. He posted a 1.96 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, and 170 strikeouts across 133 innings. His 5.9 ERA is a testament to his dominance on the mound. And he made quite the history too in MLB.

Skenes became the first Pirates player to win NL Rookie of the Year since Jason Bay in 2004. Also, the first NL starting pitcher to win it since Jacob deGrom in 2014. Plus, his stellar performance even made him a finalist in the NL Cy Young Award. It’s almost unheard of for a rookie to reach here. Skenes threw 100 pitches, clocking over 100 mph. Even though Pittsburgh struggled during the season, Skenes became a hope, proving that he isn’t just a rising star but the future that Pirate fans are dreaming of.

Gunnar Henderson 

A surprising addition, rather a dark horse to this list, is Gunnar Henderson. While he may not have gotten the same publicity as others, his gameplay speaks a thousand words. After his impressive Rookie of the Year campaign last season, the 23-year-old shortstop took his game to the next level with the Baltimore Orioles. He posted a .282 batting average, 37 home runs, and 89 RBIs, but the real standout number was his 8.8 WAR, which stood higher than Juan Soto’s.

Henderson is getting $800,000 this season; although the Orioles faced several setbacks, this star remained the prime reason for their making it to the playoffs. He even won the Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award for two seasons (2023 and 2024), consecutively. As ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle rightly said, “Biggest success: Gunnar Henderson’s sophomore season has propelled him into the stratosphere as one of the game’s emergent stars.” 

Misses of the season

Anthony Rendon 

Anthony Rendon signed a seven-year, $245 million contract with the Los Angeles Angels. His $38.5 million salary in 2024 is the sixth-highest in all of MLB. Yet, his performance is a far cry from expectations, mainly because Rendon has struggled to stay healthy. Injuries have taken a toll, and he hasn’t played more than 60 games in one season since he arrived in the Angels. From knee, hamstring, and wrist to groin, several setbacks have ruined his season.

But even when he is healthy and on the field, Rendon’s play hasn’t been at par. In 2024, he didn’t hit a single home run in 57 games. finishing with a .218 batting average and just 14 RBIs—his career’s worst. GM of Angels Perry Menasian has talked about how Rendon needs to prove his worth if he wants to be a key contributor to the team, and that communicates a lot.

Jacob deGrom

When any team signs a player, the last thing they want is for them to play just three games. Well, this is the story of Jacob deGrom and the Texas Rangers. The pitcher made his 2024 debut after undergoing Tommy John surgery, sidelining him for a year. Despite his efforts, he could only make three starts.

The most recent outing was the solid 5-2 victory over the Angels in Anaheim. While his command is good, durability remains an issue. He hasn’t exceeded over 100 innings in a season since 2019. His salary of $40 million comes with high expectations, and his body might not meet it. This leaves the Rangers in a tough spot.

Mike Trout

Mike Trout started the season strong, posting a 220/.325/.541 slash line. He even led MLB in home runs for a while. But disaster struck with his injury woes; Mike tore a meniscus in April, and that sidelined him. He attempted minor league rehab in July, but the injury flared again. He had to end the season with just 29 games.

Injuries have been a bane for him, and not just this season. Over the last four years, Mike Trout has missed 382 games. He was limited to 41% of the games from 2021-2024. Despite a hefty $37 million salary, the expectation hasn’t been translated. There were even talks about trading Trout to the Yankees. Such a situation might not ensure his future with the Angels.

What are your predictions of these players for the next season in Major League Baseball? Don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with us.