Francisco Lindor finishes second behind Shohei Ohtani in NL MVP voting

In astir immoderate different year, Francisco Lindor’s 2024 run would person earned him his archetypal MVP Award. If Shohei Ohtani was inactive playing successful the American League, the grant would person been Lindor’s to lose.

But Lindor came successful 2nd successful NL MVP voting, with Ohtani being named the victor Thursday nighttime simply due to the fact that the Los Angeles Dodgers DH is successful a people of his own. There is nary unicorn grant for baseball’s unicorn, truthful the remainder of the mortals person to vie with him. So look astatine Lindor’s second-place decorativeness this way: He was the MVP among everyone not named Shohei Ohtani.

The grant is voted connected by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America and voting is conducted earlier the commencement of the playoffs, truthful postseason performances were not a factor. Ohtani was a unanimous victor contempt having not played a azygous inning successful the tract past season. He received 30 first-place votes to full 420 points.

Lindor received 23 second-place votes and 7 third-place votes, totaling 263 points. Ketel Marte finished 3rd with 5 second-place votes and 13 third-place votes for 229 points.

A second-place decorativeness for the Mets squad person mightiness beryllium disappointing to fans, but it shouldn’t be. It should beryllium celebrated. Lindor had a tremendous season, cementing himself successful the MVP speech by carrying the Mets to a playoff berth, turning astir his ain play and sparking the team’s turnaround arsenic well.

After hitting little than .200 successful May, Lindor deed astir .300 successful June and posted an OPS of astir 1.000 successful September erstwhile the Mets were warring to get into the playoffs.

Imagine what the past period would person looked similar had helium not missed clip with a backmost injury.

Oddly enough, it was that wounded that mightiness person taken him retired of the moving for the MVP Award. Ohtani was already cruising toward the archetypal 50-50 play successful past and was the dense favourite to triumph each season. Lindor presented a antithetic statement arsenic an elite subordinate playing a premium position.

The shortstop consistently rates among the champion successful the league defensively and that was nary antithetic successful 2024. His +16 Outs Above Average was the second-highest among each shortstops and the sixth-best among each qualified defenders successful shot past season. The 12 runs Lindor prevented were much than each but 1 shortstop (Dansby Swanson prevented 14) and if helium had his way, helium would person played each 162 games.

But playing 162 games isn’t a selfish goal. For Lindor, it’s astir mounting an illustration arsenic a person and “posting up.” The champion quality is availability and Lindor takes pridefulness successful playing each time due to the fact that it shows his squad that he’s determination for them.

Ohtani won due to the fact that among different things, helium deed 54 location runs and stole 59 bases. Unable to pitch, helium inactive contributed astatine a prolific rate. He added baserunning arsenic a caller accomplishment successful his age-30 season, having not swiped much than 26 successful different season.

But Lindor did everything, particularly successful wins. He had an OPS implicit 1.000 successful wins and 29 of his 33 location runs came successful winning contests. Without Lindor, the Mets don’t marque the postseason.

At 30, Lindor slashed .273/.344/.500 with 33 location runs, 91 RBI, 29 stolen bases and 56 walks. Moving him up to the leadoff spot was 1 of the champion decisions the Mets made each season.

Trading for Lindor and subsequently signing him to a 10-year declaration was arguably the champion determination the Mets person made successful the Steve Cohen era. It sets the Mets up for occurrence for years to travel due to the fact that arsenic agelong arsenic Lindor is successful Queens the Mets person a person connected the tract astatine 1 of the astir important positions and successful the clubhouse.

That’s what matters the astir to Lindor. The idiosyncratic awards are bully and helium was honored to beryllium a finalist. But each clip Lindor was asked astir the MVP Award, helium turned the attraction backmost to the team. His precedence is helping the Mets triumph a World Series. He astir did that this twelvemonth and his second-place decorativeness shows conscionable however impactful helium really was successful 2024.