The Marathon of Major League Baseball: A Deep Dive into the 2024 Season
More than any other team sport, the baseball season is a marathon. The dynamics of each major-league roster are in constant flux as organizations deal with surges, slumps, injuries, and disappointments throughout the 162-game campaign. When the dust settles, the front office in each city begins the process of analyzing successes and failures and building plans to get things right in the future. After all, every year, 29 of 30 teams fall short of reaching the ultimate goal.
As the 2024 MLB season winds down, we will dive deep into each organization as they are either eliminated from postseason contention or lose a postseason series, examining what happened in the concluding campaign and forecasting what’s ahead in the offseason. At the end of it all, we will conclude this series with an article reflecting on the season that was for the 2024 World Series champions.
The Struggles of the Chicago White Sox
Even the most optimistic fans would have trouble finding things that went right for a team that might finish with the worst winning percentage in the past century. Amid the rubble, Garrett Crochet stood out as a bright spot. The lanky lefty was terrific on Opening Day and arrived at the All-Star Game as the MLB leader in strikeouts. Unfortunately, an innings-management strategy made the 25-year-old much more mortal in the second half, as evidenced by the 6.75 ERA he logged in his six post-break starts.
Colorado Rockies: A Need for Pitching
The Rockies don’t have much pitching talent, but they have four innings-eaters under contract for 2025 in Cal Quantrill, Kyle Freeland, Austin Gomber, and Ryan Feltner. Still, pitching remains the team’s biggest need by a wide margin, in both the rotation and the bullpen. Convincing high-end free agents to make half their appearances at Coors Field is always a challenge, which means Rockies management might have to settle for lesser names on the open market or explore trade options.
Miami Marlins: Injuries Take Their Toll
A starting rotation that was supposed to be the team’s strength was ravaged by injuries. The downfall started when Eury Pérez was sidelined during spring training and wound up requiring Tommy John surgery. By the end of June, joining Pérez on the IL were Braxton Garrett, Jesús Luzardo, and Ryan Weathers, who were all ticketed for major roles but finished the season with fewer than 100 innings. Add 2022 Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara, who is recovering from 2023 Tommy John surgery, and the Marlins have a full rotation of talented starters on the injured list.
Los Angeles Angels: The Trout Dilemma
As has been the case in many recent seasons, the list of things that went wrong starts with the health of Mike Trout. The 33-year-old opened the season with 10 homers in 29 games before requiring surgery on a torn meniscus in his left knee. He appeared in just one rehab game in July before he was shut down again and sent for a second surgery. The 29 contests logged by Trout marked a career low, and he’ll finish 2024 having played in just 41% of Angels games across the past four seasons.
Washington Nationals: Signs of Improvement
The Nationals’ rebuild turned a corner in 2024. Although the team didn’t make a major improvement in its final record, the Nats were one game below .500 on June 21 and sat six games out of a wild-card spot at the All-Star break. They also made strides with their run differential. The best part of Washington’s improvement is that it was primarily keyed by ascending players who will be on the team for years to come. CJ Abrams made his first All-Star Game appearance, and Luis García Jr. took a sizable step forward.
Oakland Athletics: Surpassing Expectations
The A’s are in a strange position, as they will finish 2024 with one of baseball’s worst records, but they might have exceeded expectations. Many prognosticators pegged this team to finish last overall and lose 100 games, and the A’s will comfortably avoid both fates. Brent Rooker is a big reason for the team’s relative respectability, reaching the 30-homer plateau for the second straight year and boosting his on-base rate.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Filling the Gaps
The Pirates have several holes to fill before they can take the next step. Oneil Cruz will be a big part of the team going forward, but his position remains a work in progress. Cruz ranked second among shortstops in errors, prompting a shift to center field. Isiah Kiner-Falefa replaced Cruz as shortstop, and with Kiner-Falefa signed for 2025, the switch can extend into next season.
Cincinnati Reds: Disappointments Abound
Plenty of things went wrong for a team that was supposed to contend for the postseason. Several exciting young hitters endured disappointing years. Perhaps no player was more frustrated than Matt McLain, who was expected to be a lineup centerpiece before undergoing shoulder surgery and missing the entire season. Christian Encarnacion-Strand also struggled, playing poorly in 29 games before a fractured right hand ended his season.
San Francisco Giants: Emerging Stars
The team’s two most effective hitters were both in the minors at times this season. Heliot Ramos was promoted early in May and quickly became a proficient power hitter. Tyler Fitzgerald didn’t initially take off but became a dynamic offensive contributor after taking over as the starting shortstop post-All-Star break. However, the team’s two lineup centerpieces, Paul Goldschmidt and Nolan Arenado, experienced notable declines.
Toronto Blue Jays: Guerrero Shines
With everything crumbling around him, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put together his best season since finishing second in AL MVP voting in 2021. Vladdy didn’t dominate all season, but from May on, he was one of baseball’s best hitters. Guerrero is one year away from free agency, and now he and management can go into the offseason with the knowledge that he can play at a level that warrants a significant, long-term commitment.
Houston Astros: A Fall from Grace
When a team slips from World Series champion to postseason pretender, there’s no shortage of things that went wrong. Marcus Semien wasn’t a massive disappointment, but his offensive game experienced a notable year-over-year decline. Adolis García, a key player in Texas’ World Series run, struggled mightily, batting under .200 for three consecutive months.
Baltimore Orioles: Missed Opportunities
In terms of position players, Adley Rutschman might have been the biggest disappointment. Despite being a workhorse at baseball’s most demanding position, Rutschman logged a .585 OPS in the second half, dropping his year-over-year OPS by 100 points. The Orioles also faced challenges as their top prospects failed to make significant contributions in the second half of the season.
Atlanta Braves: A Bright Future
The Braves might have the brightest future of any MLB franchise. The roster is loaded with talent, and most of the key players are signed to reasonable, long-term contracts. The infield is set for 2025, and two-thirds of the outfield is accounted for. Ronald Acuña Jr. aims to return from knee surgery by Opening Day, and the club will likely pick up the $16 million option to bring Marcell Ozuna back as the DH.
Milwaukee Brewers: Consistency is Key
Milwaukee has won the NL Central in three of the past four seasons, which earns this team the right to enter 2025 as the division favorite. However, to be serious World Series contenders, the Brewers will need to add more high-end talent to either their rotation or batting order. Otherwise, their roster on paper will rank slightly below those of the NL powerhouses in Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Philadelphia.
Philadelphia Phillies: Harper Leads the Charge
Once again, Bryce Harper paced the offense. This was his sixth season in Philadelphia, and in all six of those years, he has posted an OPS over .875. The other offensive catalyst was leadoff man Kyle Schwarber, who topped the century mark in runs and RBI for a second straight year, setting a major-league record with 15 leadoff homers.
Kansas City Royals: A Rebirth
The Royals finally turned the corner in a long rebuild, posting their first winning record and making their first postseason appearance since they won the World Series in 2015. Remarkably, Kansas City won 30 more games this season than in 2023, with Bobby Witt Jr. leading the charge as he made major improvements for a second straight year.
San Diego Padres: Injuries and Underperformance
After faring well in his first year with the Padres, Xander Bogaerts dealt with a left shoulder fracture this year and was not very productive in the games he played. The biggest letdowns on the pitching side were injuries, as Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove each fell short of 100 innings, leaving the team struggling to replace those innings.
Detroit Tigers: A New Era
The 2024 Tigers will forever be remembered as the group that ended a long rebuild by earning the franchise’s first postseason appearance since 2014. Tarik Skubal might be the best starting pitcher in baseball, winning the American League Triple Crown this season. Meanwhile, Riley Greene and Kerry Carpenter have emerged as fixtures in premium lineup spots.
Cleveland Guardians: Bullpen Dominance
The Guardians were carried by their bullpen as much as any team in recent memory. This is a club that won 92 games despite having an offense that ranked 14th in runs scored and a rotation that placed 24th in ERA. Emmanuel Clase led the relief corps, which produced a 2.57 ERA, while José Ramírez fell just short of a 40-40 season.
As we reflect on the 2024 MLB season, it’s clear that the journey of each team is filled with highs and lows, triumphs and tribulations. The offseason will be crucial for many organizations as they seek to address their shortcomings and build for the future.