Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star Ketel Marte is a finalist for National League MVP along with Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani and New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, MLB announced on Monday.
Marte will finish top three in the BBWAA NL MVP voting for the first time in his career. He came in fourth at the end of his breakout 2019 campaign.
The switch-hitter built off a bounce-back 2023 season in which he won the NLCS MVP with a dominant 2024 from the batter’s box. He was the best player in the NL for a noteworthy stretch of the season.
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From the start of June through Aug. 10, before an ankle injury impacted the rest of his year, Marte led the NL with 3.8 fWAR, 52 RBIs, a 1.082 OPS and 190 wRC+ (100 is league average).
He pressed MVP favorite Ohtani in the race, making a compelling case with a tightening gap in offensive production and a strong defensive resume. And the Diamondbacks had moved past a battle to crack .500 and firmly into the NL Wild Card and NL West races.
The injury was a big deal for Marte’s MVP odds, as he played in three games from Aug. 11 to Sept. 5. Although his return-to-play progression was met with questions, Marte produced a .944 OPS and six home runs in September.
Marte’s final National League ranks:
– 4th with 36 home runs
– 10th with 95 RBIs
– 6th with a .292 batting average
– 6th with a .372 on-base percentage
– 2nd with a .560 slugging percentage
– 2nd with a .932 OPS
– 3rd with a 151 wRC+
– 10th with 10 defensive runs saved
– 16th with eight outs above average
He led MLB with 18 home runs against lefties and nine dingers during the ninth inning of games.
¡KETEL MARTE con 443 pies de puro #MangúPower! 💥 pic.twitter.com/qtISq5uY44
— MLB Dominicana (@MLBDominicana) September 29, 2024
Marte made the NL All-Star team this season, a goal of his after getting snubbed last year, and racked up further recognition as a Gold Glove finalist, All-MLB nominee and now MVP finalist.
Ohtani is the heavy favorite to win the award after accomplishing the first 50-home run, 50-stolen base season. Even so, this recognition for Marte is a well-deserved honor after he put together one of the most impressive seasons by a Diamondbacks hitter in club history.
There have been five individual seasons in Diamondbacks history with a .930 OPS and 35 home runs: Luis Gonzalez in 2001, Jay Bell in 1999, Paul Goldschmidt in 2013 and 2017 and now Marte, according to Stathead. Marte is the first player to hit those benchmarks since the implementation of the humidor at Chase Field.
The award winner will be announced on Nov. 21. No Diamondbacks player has won the NL MVP before. Corbin Carroll finished fifth in the race last season, the highest from a D-backs player since Marte in 2019.
Goldschmidt in 2018 was the last Arizona player to finish in the top three (third).
More Major League Baseball awards finalists
American League MVP
Aaron Judge, Yankees
Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
Juan Soto, Yankees
National League Manager of the Year
Pat Murphy, Brewers
Carlos Mendoza, Mets
Mike Schildt, Padres
American League Rookie of the Year
Colton Cowser, Orioles
Luis Gil, Yankees
Austin Wells, Yankees
American League Manager of the Year
Stephen Vogt, Guardians
A.J. Hinch, Tigers
Matt Quatraro, Royals
American League Cy Young
Seth Lugo, Royals
Emmanuel Clase, Guardians
Tarik Skubal, Tigers
National League Rookie of the Year
Jackson Merrill, Padres
Paul Skenes, Pirates
Jackson Chourio, Brewers
National League Cy Young
Chris Sale, Braves
Paul Skenes, Pirates
Zack Wheeler, Phillies