From Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge’s exploits to Paul Skenes’ sensational breakout year to the surging Tigers late playoff push, it’s been another exciting season — and the drama of the playoffs still awaits. But, of course, it hasn’t all been positive. Some teams and players stand out in that department. So before we turn the page on the regular season, let’s run through 10 of the biggest disappointments of the 2024 MLB season. Please let me know in the comments what you’d add to this list.
1. The woeful White Sox
It is not good for baseball when a team loses 120 games (or more). The White Sox, who enter their final series with a 39-120 record, have tied the 1962 Mets record for most losses in a season and probably will break the infamous mark this weekend. This season is an obvious embarrassment for the White Sox, but it also altered pennant races as the Twins, Tigers and Royals all went 12-1 against them — which kept other wild-card contenders such as the Mariners and Red Sox, who didn’t play the White Sox 13 times, from making the playoffs. The White Sox failed their fans but also the sport by building such an uncompetitive roster, one that has scored over 100 runs fewer than the 29th-ranked team.
2. Jordan Montgomery, free-agent bust
Jordan Montgomery was expected to get a lucrative free-agent contract last offseason, but after he turned down a four-year deal from the Red Sox, his market dipped dramatically and he ended up signing a one-year, $25 million contract with the Diamondbacks that included a vesting player option for a second year if he made 10 starts. He managed to do that, but not much else. Montgomery reported to the D-Backs out of shape, didn’t make his first start until April 19 and ultimately wasn’t even a shell of the pitcher he’d been the past three seasons, posting a 6.23 ERA in 21 starts and four relief appearances. He’d be a fool to re-enter free agency after this disastrous season, so expect him to return to the Diamondbacks unless they trade him this offseason.
3. The Mariners’ offense after they whiffed on offseason
The Mariners have the best starting rotation, one through five, in MLB with Luis Castillo, Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo. With that group, which leads the majors in ERA, they just needed an average offense to not only make the playoffs but also have a real chance of winning their first World Series. They tried to fix their offense last offseason by shedding strikeouts, trading away Eugenio Suárez and letting Teoscar Hernández walk in free agency even though they were going to miss their home run power. The Mariners made moves to improve contact, but their attempt to improve in that area was ultimately a huge organizational failure; they have struck out more than any team in baseball — a whopping 1,603 times and counting — which cost manager Scott Servais his job last month and will keep them from making the playoffs.
4. The battered Braves
Favored to win the National League East at the start of the year, the Braves have endured nightmarish health issues, losing reigning NL MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. and NL Cy Young Award contender Spencer Strider to season-ending injuries — and that was only the beginning. They would later lose All-Stars Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley for big chunks of the season, among other significant injuries. Add in the first-half struggles of Matt Olson and this season has just been a slog for the Braves, despite bright spots such as Chris Sale’s incredible comeback. They still have a chance to make the playoffs, but the injuries severely diminished the performance of this robust roster.
5. The Blue Jays gave their fans the blues
The Blue Jays were expected by most analysts to be a contending team, but once again they disappointed their fan base. They spent their offseason chasing free agent Shohei Ohtani to no avail and allowed third baseman Matt Chapman to depart for San Francisco. They focused on building a team that emphasized pitching and defense, but not caring enough about the lineup cost them. The Blue Jays rank 25th in home runs, 27th in stolen bases and 16th in OPS. After a dismal last-place finish, the pressure is on their front office and field staff more than ever before.
6. The Rangers, and their rookies, underwhelmed
The defending World Series champions had high expectations for 2024, especially because of their promising pair of rookie outfielders, Evan Carter and Wyatt Langford. But Carter got off to a slow start, hitting .188 over 144 at-bats, then was placed on the injured list with a lumbar strain and didn’t play another game. Langford got off to a rough start as well and didn’t heat up until the Rangers were out of the race. That said, he has hit .310 in August with six homers, six steals and 17 RBIs, ending on a positive note. The Rangers’ below-.500 season is obviously not on Carter and Langford, but the rookie duo was symbolic of a disappointing overall year.
7. Future Hall of Famers who couldn’t stay healthy
Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander have given so much to the game and its fans. But age comes for us all, and these future Cooperstown residents are no exception. The trio only made a combined 32 starts this season due to injuries: Kershaw had a 4.50 ERA in seven starts; Scherzer logged a 3.95 ERA in nine starts; Verlander has a 5.55 ERA in 16 starts and is scheduled to start for the Astros on Saturday. I would never underestimate any of them, but the reality is the 36-year-old Kershaw, 40-year-old Scherzer and 41-year-old Verlander are nearing retirement. And with starting pitching and the game changing so much, when they do decide to hang it up, it will be the end of an era. All three have had amazing careers and represented everything that’s great about baseball. I’ll be rooting for more starts and special moments for all three.
8. The Reds’ season unraveling
The Reds expected to make a playoff push this year, but injuries and a major suspension severely hurt their chances. They lost second baseman Matt McLain to shoulder surgery, first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand to wrist surgery and Brandon Williamson to Tommy John surgery, with all of them missing most or all of the season. They also dealt with significant injuries to pitchers Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo and center fielder TJ Friedl as well as third baseman Noelvi Marte serving an 80-game suspension for a positive PED test — and the 22-year-old was never the same when he returned. Despite all the injuries, the Reds’ expected won-loss record based on analytics still pegged them for a winning record, but they sit six games under .500, results that ultimately cost former manager David Bell his job. It’s time to regroup. Look for the Reds to make a run at Marlins manager Skip Schumaker this offseason.
9. The Yankees’ offensive issues at first and in left
The Yankees won the American League East and will be favored to represent the AL in the World Series. However, offensive issues at the first base and left field positions have held this team back. First baseman Anthony Rizzo has hit .227 with eight homers and an 80 OPS+ over 335 at-bats while also spending months on the IL. Rookie Ben Rice hit just .174 in 149 at-bats when he was given a chance to replace Rizzo, and veteran DJ LeMahieu, who also saw playing time at first, hit .204 and is back on the IL. In left field, the Yankees’ brass were stubborn in sticking with Alex Verdugo for most of the year, despite the fact he’s hit .234 on the season, with just one home run per month in June, July and August. Jasson Domínguez offers more potential with the bat, but he has been shaky defensively in left field, so it will be interesting to see if the Yankees go with Verdugo instead since defense is so important in October. Bottom line, the Yankees have had embarrassing production from two offensive power positions.
10. So many pitching injuries
Injuries are a thread in several storylines on this list, but the rash of pitching injuries unfortunately deserved its own section. MLB continues to grapple with a record number of pitchers who have to undergo elbow or shoulder surgeries, with teams such as the Rays, Marlins, Dodgers and Astros losing at least four of their starting pitchers for significant time or the entire season. There are plenty of factors in play and blame to go around, including pitchers throwing at maximum velocity too much, increased focus on spin rates, less time to recover in between pitches, and conditioning and practice routines. And, although teams all bring up the possible reasons, none have the answers, despite the fact that they’re all searching for them. The biggest disappointment is teams don’t appear to have made progress in finding significant ways to curtail the issue.
(Top photo of Génesis Cabrera: Steve Russell / Toronto Star via Getty Images)
