Monday, December 16, 2024

All-MLB Awards: Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Chris Sale headline first team

Must read

The 2024 All-MLB teams were revealed Thursday, honoring the best and second-best players at their positions regardless of league.

Whereas All-Star honors typically recognize a good first half, the All-MLB teams are meant to recognize a full season’s worth of accomplishments, like it’s counterpart in the NBA. And while more than 50 players can be named All-Stars in any given year, only 16 players are named to the first team.

Here are the players who were recognized as the top player at their position:

C: William Contreras, Milwaukee Brewers

1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays

2B: Ketel Marte, Arizona Diamondbacks

3B: José Ramírez, Cleveland Guardians

SS: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals

OF: Juan Soto, New York Yankees

OF: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees

OF: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers

DH: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers

SP: Chris Sale, Atlanta Braves

SP: Tarik Skubal, Detroit Tigers

SP: Paul Skenes, Pittsburgh Pirates

SP: Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia Phillies

SP: Corbin Burnes, Baltimore Orioles

RP: Emmanuel Clase, Cleveland Guardians

RP: Ryan Helsley, St. Louis Cardinals

And the second team:

C: Salvador Pérez, Kansas City Royals

1B: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies

2B: Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

3B: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres

SS: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets

OF: Jarren Duran, Boston Red Sox

OF: Teoscar Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers

OF: Jackson Merrill, San Diego Padres

DH: Yordan Alvarez, Houston Astros

SP: Seth Lugo, Kansas City Royals

SP: Dylan Cease, San Diego Padres

SP: Shota Imanaga, Chicago Cubs

SP: Framber Valdez, Houston Astros

SP: Michael King, San Diego Padres

RP: Mason Miller, Oakland Athletics

RP: Kirby Yates, Texas Rangers

The teams were announced at a show in Las Vegas, with honors such as the Comeback Player of the Year Awards (Chris Sale and Garrett Crochet) and Relievers of the Year (Emmanuel Clase and Ryan Helsley) also unveiled. The show was headlined by “Daily Show” veteran Roy Wood Jr., who certainly tried his best while working a room that included Mookie Betts and Tarik Skubal.

As with most award shows, the selections weren’t without controversy.

Betts over Jarren Duran for the final spot of the first-team outfield was an odd choice in particular. The Dodgers star was certainly great again this season, but he began the season playing exclusively at shortstop then missed nearly two months with a fractured hand. He played a total of 43 games at outfield this season, while Duran played 160 with similar offensive stats.

There was not, however, a debate about first-team DH. Shohei Ohtani took home that honor as well as his fourth straight Edgar Martinez Award recognizing the game’s best designated hitter. He will resume competing for All-MLB honors as a pitcher next season.

Latest article