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MLB news: Ronald Acuña Jr. named the league's best player
The SiriusXM MLB Network Radio crew voted on the top 10 MLB players. The list is sure to stir up controversy, and it starts potentially with the No. 1 spot. Atlanta Braves RF Ronald Acuña Jr., fresh off his unanimous MVP-winning season, landed in poll position.
Who is the BEST of the best for 2024?
— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) February 20, 2024
The ten best players in all of baseball, as voted on by our hosts and analysts:
All it takes to top this list? A 40-70 season and an MVP.
Agree? Disagree? Let's hear it 🔊🔊#MLBNRTopTen | #FortheA | @RonaldAcunaJr24 pic.twitter.com/lF9Fvctax9
It's difficult to deny with the basic statistical argument. Acuña smashed records last season, becoming the first 40-70 player in MLB history and leading Atlanta to the best record in baseball, 104-58. He was electric at the plate, slashing .337/.416/.596 with 41 home runs and 106 RBI in 643 AB.
The argument, if there is one, isn't against Acuña. It's more so in favor of the alternatives. Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Mookie Betts obviously has a strong case. He was Acuña's stiffest competition in the MVP race until a late-season injury cleared the runway for Atlanta's All-Star. Aaron Judge in the No. 2 spot feels like a stretch, but he is undeniable at the plate. A fully healthy Judge is a singular offensive force.
Of course, the real shocker here is Shohei Ohtani landing in the No. 4 spot. Consensus would tell you that Ohtani is the best player of his generation, and one of the greatest of all time if we're comfortable projecting forward. The new Dodgers slugger was also the unanimous MVP last season. He dominated at the plate (.304/.412/.654, 44 home runs, 95 RBI) and on the mound (10-5 record, 3.14 ERA, 1.061 WHIP). He is the MLB's only two-way star, which is hard to match in terms of overall value.
Ohtani won't pitch in 2024, however, and his future on the mound is relatively murky after another elbow surgery. That could be held against him — Acuña is comparable at the plate and far better on the base paths — but, if Ohtani can get back on the mound without losing the pop in his bat, Acuña's reign atop this list may not last very long.
A lot of it could depend on how far the Dodgers go in the postseason. The only accolade absent from Ohtani's resumé is playoff success.