MLB September predictions: Playoff races, MVP, Cy Young and more surprises
Welcome to September! We’re five months into Major League Baseball’s 2024 season and there is plenty of intrigue entering the homestretch.
Which of the current contenders will be headed to the playoffs? How will the division races play out? Who are the favorites to win the MVP and Cy Young awards? And will Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani make history to cap off their incredible 2024 performances?
To discuss what the final month of the regular season might bring, we asked a panel of 18 ESPN baseball experts some of the game’s biggest questions, covering September and beyond. We also asked a number of them to explain their answers — particularly those that went against the grain.
Below, you’ll find our picks for the postseason, major awards and more, including a few surprising answers and some bold predictions about what’s next.
The teams we’ll be talking about for the final month
Which team will finish with the best record in baseball?
Dodgers: 14
Phillies: 3
Brewers: 1
The Dodgers were the overwhelming pick. Why did you take them?
The Dodgers have a slight lead for the best record in baseball, due in large part to their unreal lineup. The good news for further growth is their lead isn’t so big that they’ll take their foot off the gas and the pitching staff will get better, possibly soon. Michael Kopech magically improved once acquired and is now the closer while Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto could all return in the coming weeks. The worst performing members of the rotation are Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller, who could revert to frontline form at any point. — Kiley McDaniel
The Dodgers’ pitching might have flaws, but their midseason acquisitions of Jack Flaherty and Kopech have been pivotal. With Max Muncy healthy and Tommy Edman strengthening center field, this lineup is MLB’s deepest. This team’s chemistry, as well as the offense is peaking at the right time, and Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50 HR/50 SB season seems almost inevitable. — Xavier Scruggs
The other two NL division leaders were also selected. Let’s hear the case for Philadelphia and Milwaukee:
The Phillies’ record since the All-Star break is below .500 and they’re still just 1.5 games back from the best mark. Now that they’ve seemed to right the ship, and with a schedule featuring only one other playoff team the rest of the way, I’m expecting a strong final month in Philly. — Dan Mullen
The surprising Brewers have overcome obstacles (rotation, injuries) all season and still are right there with the win leaders. With their soft remaining schedule, weak division and emerging youngsters, watch them sneak into the top overall spot. — Eric Karabell
How many of the current 12 teams projected for the playoffs will be in the postseason field?
All 12: 14
11 of the current 12: 4 (Boston replacing Minnesota: 3; Boston replacing Kansas City: 1)
The Red Sox were the clear choice from our writers who thought someone would break into the field in the final month. Why do you think they’ll pass the Twins?
Boston’s strength of schedule in September might provide that last push it needs. The Red Sox play teams below .500 in half of their remaining series, while the Twins still have to play series against Cleveland and Kansas City — meaning the Red Sox have multiple opportunities to make up ground. Not to mention that Boston’s pitching — a reason the team had started to slip — might have found its rhythm once again. All I’m saying is, don’t count the Sox out just yet. — Liz Finny
Who will win the NL West?
Dodgers: 17
Padres: 1
You were the only one to pick a team other than the Dodgers to win the NL West. Why did you go with the Padres?
It’s become standard fare to predict the Dodgers to fail in the postseason, so let’s raise the stakes a bit and predict a late-season collapse that ends with the Padres overtaking them to win the NL West. Can San Diego make up six games over the final 26? The Padres are the best team in baseball since the All-Star break, they’re getting Fernando Tatis Jr. back, and they finish the season with six games against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, the two teams ahead of them. — Tim Keown
Will Baltimore or New York win the AL East?
Yankees: 14
Orioles: 4
The Yankees were the pick by a vast majority of our experts. What do you think will put them over the top?
Jazz Chisholm is the player they didn’t know they needed for the past five years. — Doug Glanville
Why do you think Baltimore can pass New York?
Zach Eflin just came back. Grayson Rodriguez and Jordan Westburg shouldn’t be far behind. The Orioles are getting healthy at the right time, and between that and starting September with a series against the White Sox, things are looking up for the team with the most talent in the American League. — Jeff Passan
What about the AL Central?
Guardians: 12
Royals: 5
Twins: 1
Our voters seem to think Cleveland is starting to pull away here. Why did you go with the Guardians?
I would’ve chosen the Royals before they lost Vinnie Pasquantino for the rest of the regular season, placed Michael Lorenzen on the injured list, and tumbled into a five-game losing streak. Completing one of the greatest one-year turnarounds in history would’ve made for a great story, but that’s now unlikely. The Twins have the talent, but they can’t stay healthy. The Guardians’ lineup has lost some steam while the starting rotation remains a concern, but they’ve been in first place (alone or tied) since April 6. And they’ll stay there (alone) for the rest of the month. — Jorge Castillo
It hurts my heart a little to not pick the Royals, who I think will stick in the postseason bracket even after the unfortunate broken thumb suffered by Pasquantino. Their recent faceplant might have taken them out of the Central race, especially since Cleveland has the easiest schedule the rest of the way.
Kansas City still has a buffer when it comes to playing on into October but the slump means it can’t worry about position on the bracket so much as making sure they are somewhere on it at all. Over the past week, Cleveland has moved from worrying about the Royals to worrying about overtaking the Yankees for the top overall seed in the AL. — Bradford Doolittle
How many games will the White Sox lose?
126: 2
125: 2
124: 5
123: 3
122: 2
121: 3
119: 1
Only one of our voters predicted the White Sox falling short of the all-time record for losses. Why did you predict a 36-126 finish?
There’s a question being debated on sports talk radio in Chicago: Who will win more games in September, the Bears or the White Sox? The fact that it’s a legitimate debate is all you need to know about the latter team down the stretch. To wit: Their first 10 games of the month come against playoff contenders. Plus, they have a West Coast trip left. Losing 126 might be too kind. — Jesse Rogers
The players who will dominate the final month
The 2024 AL and NL MVPs will be …?
AL: Aaron Judge — 18
NL: Shohei Ohtani — 18
Judge and Ohtani were unanimous picks. Who has the best chance of passing either player for MVP?
Bobby Witt Jr. is on way to a 10-WAR season, leading the AL in batting average, runs and hits while closing in on 30 home runs, 30 steals and 100 RBIs. His defensive metrics are off the charts. In most seasons, he’s an easy pick for MVP. If Judge falters in September and the surprising Royals win the AL Central, Witt could swoop in. In the NL, Francisco Lindor has actually passed Ohtani in FanGraphs WAR. He’s also closing in on a 30/30 season and a possible Gold Glove. Defense matters and that gives Lindor a chance. — David Schoenfield
How many home runs will Aaron Judge finish with?
64: 1
63: 6
62: 1
61: 2
60: 6
59: 1
Almost all of our panel has Judge reaching at least 60 home runs, why do you think he’ll finish with 64 long balls?
Sixty-four homers out of the question, you say? I’m just extrapolating the numbers. Since Judge’s slow start, he hit 47 homers in a recent 105-game stretch, an unbelievable rate; he even hit seven homers in 9 games, so he can go off at any moment. The Yankees have 24 games remaining, and so not only will Judge get to his own record, but he’ll go beyond. — Buster Olney
Will Shohei Ohtani become the first member of the 50/50 club?
Yes: 16
No: 2
The vast majority of our voters say Ohtani will make history. Why do you believe he’ll get to 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases?
He’s going to get there because he’s fully capable, because he’s on pace to and because the Dodgers’ games will continue to matter down the stretch.
Perhaps just as important: He’s going to get there because it seems as if he really wants to. An understated element of Ohtani is how in tune he is with his mark on the sport. Given that he wouldn’t pitch, he saw this as the year when he could maximize his value on the bases. And he won’t let an opportunity for 50-50 slip past him. — Gonzalez
The 2024 Cy Youngs will go to …?
AL: Tarik Skubal — 18
NL: Chris Sale — 15
Zack Wheeler — 3
Skubal was unanimous in the AL and Sale was a runaway pick in the NL. Why did you go with Zack Wheeler?
Sale is -650 to win the NL Cy Young at ESPN BET, but should NOT be considered a runaway based on two factors: workload and trouble finishing seasons effectively. Sale’s 153⅔ innings are already more than he logged in 2021-23 combined (151) and soon to be more than any season since 2017. His career September/October splits are fairly loud — a 3.69 ERA and .739 OPS allowance are both career worsts by calendar month. Wheeler has no such history, making his +450 price at ESPN BET an especially good value. — Paul Hembekides
Who will win AL and NL Rookie of the Year?
AL: Colton Cowser — 15
Mason Miller — 2
Wilyer Abreu — 1
Our panel leaned heavily toward Cowser. Why do you think Miller can win AL honors?
In a wide-open award race, Miller’s elite skill set and historic whiff rates could catch voters’ eyes. It’s not like relievers haven’t won before when there wasn’t a clear, top-shelf choice (see: Devin Williams, 2020). Among rookies with 50-plus innings, his 43.4% K rate is second-best all time, .145 batting average allowed fifth-best and 1.71 FIP is ninth-best. He’ll also probably become the third rookie ever with 25-plus saves and 100-plus K’s. — Tristan Cockcroft
NL: Jackson Merrill — 13
Paul Skenes — 4
Jackson Chourio — 1
Merrill was the favorite, but you were one of four voters to choose Skenes. Why?
Jackson Merrill is a delightful player who heads into September with the narrative momentum to capture the award — and he’d be an absolutely worthy winner. Paul Skenes is just the best pitcher in baseball, and if he finishes the season with 140 innings of sub-2.25 ERA ball, he will have earned Rookie of the Year, even over a star like Merrill. — Passan
Bold predictions for the final month
Hembekides: Juan Soto will outproduce Aaron Judge in September and finish as AL MVP runner-up behind Judge and ahead of Bobby Witt Jr.
Schoenfield: Francisco Lindor will pass Shohei Ohtani in bWAR and becomes the first Mets position player to ever lead the National League.
Castillo: The Cubs and Mets will miss the playoffs by one game.
Rogers: The National League won’t have multiple .300 hitters
Passan: I’ll take that a step further. The winner of the National League batting crown will become the first batting champion in baseball history with a sub-.300 average. Currently, Marcell Ozuna, Trea Turner and Luis Arraez are the only NL players over .300, and so few hitters can string together any sort of batting-average consistency, it makes the possibility of Carl Yastrzemski losing his record-low .301 average for a batting champion that much more realistic.
Doolittle: Maybe not so bold, but Erick Fedde, who was traded at the deadline, will finish with a team-high seven wins for the team he left, the White Sox.
Matt Marrone: The Yankees will finally bite the bullet and DFA two-time batting champ DJ LeMahieu.
Scruggs: Marcell Ozuna will win the NL Triple Crown.
Karabell: Jacob deGrom makes his season debut on Sept. 12 at Seattle, and he throws six perfect innings. Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Kirby Yates finish off the first official shared perfect game.
Keown: The Tigers — yes, the Tigers — will parlay their strength of schedule (No. 27) into a late and unexpected run at the last AL wild-card spot. They’ll come up short, but there will be meaningful baseball in Detroit in the last week of September.
McDaniel: Chris Sale will win the ERA title (currently second to Skubal) and become the first pitcher since Corbin Burnes in 2021 to win what I call the FanGraphs pitching quadruple crown: lead qualified pitchers in ERA, xERA, FIP and xFIP.
Tim Kurkjian: The Astros will win the AL West handily and will enter October as the team to beat in the American League.
Olney: We won’t have any teams finish with 100 wins, but three teams — besides the White Sox, the Marlins and Rockies — will finish with 100 defeats.
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Neil Paine
Hockey is a notoriously chaotic sport in which you need a large sample of games to know what’s real versus what’s just noise. For instance, it is estimated that it takes the entire 82-game NHL season to give us as much information about team quality as just 32 NBA games — or less than half the regular season — do.
So it’s always risky to draw grand conclusions from what we see over the first month of play on the ice. But that can’t stop us from finding interesting trends emerging from the early portion of the schedule.
Here are seven initial developments that have taken us by surprise in 2024-25 so far:
1. Ovechkin’s comeback against Father Time
One of the biggest storylines heading into the season was Alex Ovechkin‘s pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record, with the Great 8 starting the season trailing The Great One by 41 scores.
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Sean Allen
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Victoria Matiash
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Victoria Matiash
Fantasy Hockey
- ESPN.com Fantasy Contributor since 2010
- Part-time anchor at NEWSTALK1010
Another week, another No. 1 landing spot for the Winnipeg Jets in the ESPN NHL Power Rankings. But who finishes 2-32?
Plus, it’s another fantasy hockey takeover week, with Sean Allen and Victoria Matiash identifying one player per team who is off to a slow start (relative to his teammates or expectations) and advising fantasy managers whether to have patience or panic at this time.
And as a reminder, it’s not too late to join ESPN Fantasy Hockey. Sign up for free and start playing today!
How we rank: A panel of ESPN hockey commentators, analysts, reporters and editors sends in a 1-32 poll based on the games through Wednesday, which generates our master list here.
Note: Previous ranking for each team refers to the previous edition, published Nov. 8. Points percentages are through Thursday’s games.
Previous ranking: 1
Points percentage: 88.24%
Cole Perfetti, LW (28.9% rostered in ESPN Fantasy leagues): As difficult as it is to find fault with anything Jets-related these days, Perfetti isn’t quite meeting 2024-25 fantasy expectations yet. But the 22-year-old remains cemented on the Jets’ second scoring line and power play, and he has pitched in enough multipoint showings to merit another look in deeper leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ FLA (Nov. 16), vs. FLA (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 2
Points percentage: 73.33%
Brent Burns, D (69.5%): The writing had been on the wall, faintly sketched with a carpenter’s pencil, but now it’s been retraced in ink. Shayne Gostisbehere has the power play on lock, and Burns doesn’t put up the points without it now. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. OTT (Nov. 16), vs. STL (Nov. 17), @ PHI (Nov. 20), @ NJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 4
Points percentage: 67.65%
Gustav Forsling, D (68.8%): Playoff heroics can inflate rostership numbers even this far into the future, but Forsling isn’t a must-have fantasy contributor. You can find a defenseman with a higher ceiling among your league’s free agents. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. WPG (Nov. 16), @ WPG (Nov. 19), @ CHI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 5
Points percentage: 78.13%
Marc-Andre Fleury, G (51.8%): As long as Filip Gustavsson continues to perform dependably well, the veteran No. 2 isn’t going to play much. There are other lesser-rostered backups in the league — Jake Allen and Jonathan Quick come to mind — who offer more fantasy punch than Fleury. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DAL (Nov. 16), @ STL (Nov. 19), @ EDM (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 6
Points percentage: 70.00%
Matt Roy, D (45.6%): After a breakout fantasy campaign with the Kings last season, cut Roy some slack. He has had only a handful of games to get used to his new teammates, and the minutes are there to get the job done. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ COL (Nov. 15), @ VGK (Nov. 17), @ UTA (Nov. 18), vs. COL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 3
Points percentage: 70.00%
Mika Zibanejad, C (95.6%): Zibanejad has had slow starts before — 1.78 FPPG in 2021-22 and 1.93 FPPG last season — yet still finished over 2.00 FPPG. His current 1.58 FPPG isn’t alarming. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 17), @ VAN (Nov. 19), @ CGY (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 7
Points percentage: 68.75%
Brayden McNabb, D (52.3%): Returning to his selfless ways — highlighted by five blocked shots against the Ducks Wednesday — McNabb is already working back into his fantasy managers’ good graces. While hardly a prolific producer, the veteran should start pitching in a few more points, too. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ UTA (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 17), @ TOR (Nov. 20), @ OTT (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 10
Points percentage: 65.00%
Luke Hughes, D (39.1%): He did an admirable job filling in for an injured Dougie Hamilton as a rookie last season, but unless that situation arises again, it looks as though Hughes is out of the limelight for this campaign. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TB (Nov. 16), vs. CAR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 8
Points percentage: 66.67%
Roope Hintz, C (79.8%): Some bad puck luck, illustrated by his 6.7% shooting percentage through six recent contests (career: 16.5%), is partially to blame for Hintz’s current skid. But the perennial 30-plus goal scorer is bound to get back on track soon, especially once Peter DeBoer inevitably juggles his lines again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ MIN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 18), vs. SJ (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 11
Points percentage: 63.33%
Filip Hronek, D (51.9%): He’s averaging approximately a single shot and blocked shot per game. Unlike last season, the compensatory scoring isn’t there to make up for those shortcomings. Hronek appears far more valuable to the Canucks as Quinn Hughes‘ defensive partner than to his fantasy managers. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. CHI (Nov. 16), vs. NSH (Nov. 17), vs. NYR (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 9
Points percentage: 58.33%
Quinton Byfield, RW (43.2%): The lack of a single power-play point is one concern, along with his removal from the top unit. Through the fantasy lens, so is Byfield’s third-line role. If all remains as is, we might be in for another season of inconsistent fantasy returns. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 16), vs. BUF (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 13
Points percentage: 61.11%
Matthew Knies, LW (42.4%): He has been making hay while the sun shines, so to speak, as he gets first power-play unit access while Auston Matthews is out. The confidence boost should carry over to when Matthews returns, and they are linemates again. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. EDM (Nov. 16), vs. VGK (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 17
Points percentage: 55.88%
Jeff Skinner, C (45.0%): Afforded the opportunity to compete alongside just about every Oiler up front, including two of the best centers in the biz, the veteran winger has nonetheless failed to offer much of a productive presence. Now Skinner appears relegated to Edmonton’s fourth line. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ TOR (Nov. 16), @ MTL (Nov. 18), @ OTT (Nov. 19), vs. MIN (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 12
Points percentage: 56.67%
Jake Guentzel, LW (98.8%): Guentzel’s overall output is fantastic already, but with just two power-play points so far, he has yet to add his usual production with the man advantage. If he does, his already strong fantasy profile could get a big boost. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NJ (Nov. 16), @ PIT (Nov. 19), @ CBJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 19
Points percentage: 52.94%
Devon Toews, D (66.7%): While it has taken the defender time to warm up after a delayed start to 2024-25, Toews now appears back in his groove: blocking shots, contributing to the score sheet and skating more minutes than nearly everyone else. Cale Makar‘s partner hasn’t averaged 0.58 points per game throughout his career by accident. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. WSH (Nov. 15), @ PHI (Nov. 18), @ WSH (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 15
Points percentage: 53.13%
Linus Ullmark, G (84.8%): The Senators are showing signs of competing, and we know Ullmark is capable of being among the best. Patience might already be paying off with some of his recent road outings against tough division rivals. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ CAR (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 19), vs. VGK (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 14
Points percentage: 55.88%
Nazem Kadri, C (78.4%): While no one is scoring much for the Flames these days, including their No. 1 center, this too shall pass. Perhaps it’ll play out like last season, when Kadri collected two points in October before erupting for 13 in November, then maintained that scoring pace for the duration of the season. Also, he shoots the puck a lot. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NSH (Nov. 15), vs. NYI (Nov. 19), vs. NYR (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 20
Points percentage: 50.00%
Charlie McAvoy, D (89.9%): The Bruins’ offense might be slower this season, but McAvoy’s 1.64 FPPG is still too low. Give him time. Not enough has changed to drop him far from his 2.29 FPPG average over the past three seasons. Verdict: Patience
Next seven days: vs. STL (Nov. 16), vs. CBJ (Nov. 18), vs. UTA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 18
Points percentage: 53.13%
Barrett Hayton, C (17.5%): According to analysis by Evolving Hockey, the third-line center (for now) should be scoring more goals in accordance with the quality of his shots. That offers some comfort in light of his current skid. While Hayton certainly needs to play more minutes and shoot on net more often, he doesn’t merit giving up entirely in deeper fantasy leagues. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. VGK (Nov. 15), vs. WSH (Nov. 18), @ BOS (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 24
Points percentage: 52.94%
Brock Nelson, C (76.9%): The Isles’ collective offense isn’t weaker than it has been for several years. Nelson has averaged 2.03 FPPG across the past three seasons. He’ll come around. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ SEA (Nov. 16), @ CGY (Nov. 19), @ DET (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 21
Points percentage: 50.00%
Patrick Kane, RW (66.3%): If the Red Wings’ power play were in the dumps, maybe we could preach patience for Kane. But it’s not, and it might be time to move on from Kane in fantasy. He is getting all the opportunities required and is just not producing. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ ANA (Nov. 15), @ LA (Nov. 16), @ SJ (Nov. 18), vs. NYI (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 23
Points percentage: 50.00%
Dylan Cozens, C (49.3%): It is time to move off Cozens. He had that banner 2022-23 but is now matching the reduced fantasy production that lasted all of last season. Even an uptick in performance might not be enough to get to fantasy relevance from his current 1.41 FPPG. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ PHI (Nov. 16), @ LA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 25
Points percentage: 50.00%
Adam Larsson, D (60.5%): Despite the relative drought, the top-pair defenseman still blocks a sufficient number of shots to merit rostering in deeper standard leagues. Plus, he’ll soon fall back into his usual (however relatively modest) scoring groove. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: vs. NYI (Nov. 16), vs. NYR (Nov. 17), vs. NSH (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 16
Points percentage: 44.12%
Jordan Binnington, G (55.1%): After winning the season opener against Seattle, the Blues’ No. 1 has yet to beat anyone outside of the Atlantic Division. Shouldering a 4-7-0 record, .887 save percentage and 3.26 goals-against average, Binnington has cost his fantasy managers a total net loss of 1.8 points. Yes, negative points. There are likely brighter days ahead for the banged-up Blues, but when? Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ BOS (Nov. 16), @ CAR (Nov. 17), vs. MIN (Nov. 19), vs. SJ (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 31
Points percentage: 47.06%
Joel Farabee, LW (50.7%): Farabee, Tyson Foerster, Scott Laughton; Take your pick of Flyers who were just picking up some fantasy momentum in their career but have been buried on the depth chart by the new core group. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. BUF (Nov. 16), vs. COL (Nov. 18), vs. CAR (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 27
Points percentage: 38.24%
Teuvo Teravainen, RW (41.4%): The Blackhawks’ offseason acquisition has one goal and zero assists in his past 11 games, and he isn’t shooting with any consistency. Even back on a scoring line with Connor Bedard, Teravainen can’t be counted on to contribute regularly enough. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ VAN (Nov. 16), vs. ANA (Nov. 19), vs. FLA (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 26
Points percentage: 41.67%
Erik Karlsson, D (94.1%): It’s been a season and a quarter now, so what we see from Karlsson as a Penguin might be what we get. He’s not the sole source of offense, so downgraded fantasy output is just the new normal. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CBJ (Nov. 15), vs. SJ (Nov. 16), vs. TB (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 22
Points percentage: 40.00%
Ivan Provorov, D (19.2%): No one on the Blue Jackets is underperforming in a big way, but even 20% rostership is too high for Provorov. If he’s not on the first pair, you can safely pretend he’s not there. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. PIT (Nov. 15), @ MTL (Nov. 16), @ BOS (Nov. 18), vs. TB (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 28
Points percentage: 38.24%
Gustav Nyquist, RW (16.6%): Once replaced by Steven Stamkos on the Predators’ top line, Nyquist lost most of his fantasy charm. It’s no coincidence the winger was at his most productive when skating alongside Filip Forsberg and Ryan O’Reilly. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: @ CGY (Nov. 15), @ VAN (Nov. 17), @ SEA (Nov. 20)
Previous ranking: 29
Points percentage: 40.00%
Lukas Dostal, G (60.7%): The Ducks allow the most shots against (35.5 per game) while scoring the fewest goals (2.20 per game). Plus, a healthy John Gibson is back to share Anaheim’s crease. Dostal’s successful fantasy run was fun while it lasted. It’s time to move on. Verdict: Panic.
Next seven days: vs. DET (Nov. 15), @ DAL (Nov. 18), @ CHI (Nov. 19)
Previous ranking: 32
Points percentage: 36.11%
William Eklund, LW (56.2%): The sophomore is playing a ton of minutes, pitching in assists and now skating on a scoring line with Mikael Granlund. Which is a good thing. Yes, we’d all like to see him shoot more. Verdict: Patience.
Next seven days: @ PIT (Nov. 16), vs. DET (Nov. 18), @ DAL (Nov. 20), @ STL (Nov. 21)
Previous ranking: 30
Points percentage: 35.29%
Sam Montembeault, G (22.3%): The Habs don’t look like they’ll win enough for Monty to shine in redraft leagues, but if you drafted him for a keeper league, there are positive signs for the future. Verdict: Patience, at least for the long term.
Next seven days: vs. CBJ (Nov. 16), vs. EDM (Nov. 18)
LAS VEGAS — Left-handers Chris Sale of the Atlanta Braves and Garrett Crochet of the Chicago White Sox won Major League Baseball’s Comeback Player of the Year awards on Thursday.
Cleveland right-hander Emmanuel Clase won his second AL Reliever of the Year award and St. Louis righty Ryan Helsley won the NL honor.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani joined David Ortiz as the only players to win four straight Outstanding Designated Hitter awards. Ohtani and the New York Yankees‘ Aaron Judge won Hank Aaron Awards as the outstanding offensive performers in their leagues.
Major League Baseball made the announcements at its All-MLB Awards Show.
Sale, 35, was 18-3 with a 2.38 ERA and 225 strikeouts in 177⅔ innings for the NL’s first pitching triple crown since the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in 2011. He earned his eighth All-Star selection and first since 2018.
Sale helped Boston to the 2018 World Series title but made just 56 starts from 2020-23, going 17-18 with a 4.86 ERA, 400 strikeouts and 79 walks over 298⅓ innings. He was acquired by Boston from the White Sox in December 2016 and made nine trips to the injured list with the Red Sox, mostly with shoulder and elbow ailments. He had Tommy John surgery on March 30, 2020, and returned to a big league mound on Aug. 14, 2021.
Sale fractured a rib while pitching in batting practice in February 2022 during the management lockout. On July 17, in his second start back, he broke his left pinkie finger when he was hit by a line drive off the bat of the Yankees’ Aaron Hicks. Sale broke his right wrist while riding a bicycle en route to lunch on Aug. 6, ending his season.
Crochet, 25, was 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA over 32 starts for a White Sox team that set a post-1900 record of 121 losses, becoming a first-time All-Star. He struck out 209 and walked 33 in 146 innings.
He had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022, and returned to the major leagues on May 18, 2023. Crochet had a 3.55 ERA in 13 relief appearances in 2023, and then joined the rotation this year.
Sale and Crochet were chosen in voting by MLB.com beat writers.
Clase and Helsley were unanimous picks by a panel that included Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Mariano Rivera, Dennis Eckersley and Rollie Fingers, along with John Franco and Billy Wagner. The AL award is named after Rivera and the NL honor after Hoffman.
A three-time All-Star, Clase was 4-2 with a 0.61 ERA, 66 strikeouts and 10 walks in 74⅓ innings, holding batters to a .154 average. The 26-year-old converted 47 of 50 save chances, including his last 47.
Voting was based on the regular season. Clase was 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA in the playoffs, allowing three home runs, one more than his regular-season total.
Helsley, a two-time All-Star, was 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and 49 saves in 53 chances. He struck out 79 and walked 23 in 66⅓ innings.
Ohtani became the first player with 50 or more homers and 50 or more stolen bases in a season. A two-way star limited to hitting following elbow surgery, Ohtani batted .310 and led the NL with 54 homers and 130 RBIs while stealing 59 bases.
Ortiz won the DH award five years in a row from 2003-07.
The DH award, named after Edgar Martinez, is picked in voting by team beat writers, broadcasters and public relations departments. MLB.com writers determined the finalists for the Aaron awards, and a fan vote was combined with picks from a panel of Hall of Famers and former winners to determine the selections.
Judge led the major leagues with 58 homers and 144 RBIs while hitting .322.
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