MLB MVP rankings: Judge, Ohtani continue to lead race

Welcome to the fourth edition of theScore's 2024 Most Valuable Player rankings, where we look at the top five players in each league. Let's run through some of this season's best performances ahead of the final month. Odds courtesy of theScore Bet.

National League

5. Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks

Marte's been sidelined for more than a week with an ankle injury, but he still deserves to be on the list. The 30-year-old ranks in the top five in the NL in WAR, home runs, and wRC+. The Diamondbacks have continued to pile up wins in Marte's absence, but he is still their most dynamic hitter, and they'll lean on him again when he returns as Arizona aims to make a second straight deep postseason run.

4. Elly De La Cruz, Reds

De La Cruz became the first player this season to steal 60 bases and only the fifth player since 1900 to hit 20 home runs and swipe 60 bags. The 22-year-old still has strikeout issues, but he's walking more than he did in 2023 and is also noticeably better defensively. He's in the 97th percentile in outs above average after finishing his rookie campaign in the 85th percentile. If his plate discipline continues to improve, De La Cruz should be a mainstay in the MVP conversation as he reaches his prime.

3. Marcell Ozuna, Braves

Ozuna remains the one constant in a very trying season for the Braves, who have dealt with injuries and underachievement throughout the roster. Ozuna still has a chance at winning an unlikely Triple Crown, as he ranks second to Shohei Ohtani in home runs and leads in RBIs and batting average. The 33-year-old has been excellent in August, hitting six homers with 14 RBIs and a 169 wRC+.

2. Francisco Lindor, Mets

Although Lindor's flown under the radar since his slow start to the season, he's been among the National League's most impactful players for several months. The star shortstop leads all NL players in fWAR and is on pace for his second consecutive 30-homer, 30-steal season. The Mets face an uphill climb to make the postseason, but Lindor recently said, "MVPs are won in August and September," and he's doing his part to back that up. He's hitting .337 with five home runs, 15 RBIs, and 1.6 fWAR since Aug. 1.

1. Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers

Ohtani became the sixth player in MLB history to join the illustrious 40-40 club, reaching the 40-homer threshold with a dramatic walk-off grand slam against the Tampa Bay Rays. The two-time AL MVP continues to dazzle offensively on a nightly basis, doing more than enough to quiet concerns about whether a pure DH should win MVP. Lindor has made it a more interesting race of late. However, Ohtani remains in position to cruise to his third MVP in four years, joining Hall of Famer Frank Robinson as the only players to win the award in both leagues.

American League

5. José Ramírez, Guardians

The Guardians' lead atop the AL Central has shrunk, but Ramírez continues to do his part as the offensive anchor. Ramírez has finished in the top five in AL MVP voting four times in his career and looks poised to do it again in 2024. The 31-year-old reached the 30-30 club for the second time in his career and the first time since the 2018 campaign. Ramírez is on a Hall of Fame path as one of the most consistent offensive players of the past decade.

4. Gunnar Henderson, Orioles

The Orioles have fallen behind the Yankees in the AL East standings, and Henderson's also dropped behind Soto and Judge in these rankings. Henderson has a .789 OPS with five home runs and 15 RBIs since the All-Star break. Those are respectable numbers but a far cry from the .957 OPS and 28 homers he registered before the break. The Orioles need Henderson's bat to get hot again if they hope to overtake the Yankees.

3. Juan Soto, Yankees

Yankees fans recently serenaded Soto with "please stay" chants. It's easy to see why as Soto continues terrorizing opposing pitchers. His OPS is over 1.000 for the second time in his career and he's on pace to hit 40 home runs for the first time. Soto's formed the most dynamic offensive duo in the league alongside Aaron Judge, and he's poised to land one of the most lucrative contracts in MLB history when he becomes a free agent this offseason.

2. Bobby Witt Jr., Royals

Witt would be a runaway choice to win his first MVP if Judge played in a different league. Alas, Witt is destined to put together one of the best runner-up seasons in recent memory. He's second to Judge among all players in WAR and should cruise to the first batting title of his career. The 25-year-old has made impressive strides in his approach at the plate, boasting the highest walk rate and lowest strikeout rate of his career. Witt will come up a bit short in 2024, but it seems like a matter of time before he adds at least one MVP to his growing resume as one of the game's greatest stars.

1. Aaron Judge, Yankees

Somehow, Judge is producing at a better rate than he did two years ago when he set the single-season American League record with 62 home runs en route to winning his first MVP. Judge's brilliance has reached a point where it's fair to wonder if teams should intentionally walk him in any situation they can. Given the way he continues to devastate opposing pitching, it's just not worth the risk.