As the final week of the 2024 MLB regular season arrives, tension and excitement grip the league with postseason and awards races coming down to the wire.
Tommy Edman's Late-Season Surge
Among the standout performers is Tommy Edman, whose remarkable late-season burst has been instrumental for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Since joining the Dodgers from the Cardinals in a three-team Erick Fedde trade involving the White Sox, Edman has made a big impact. Despite undergoing offseason wrist surgery and suffering an ankle injury during his rehab assignment, Edman has shown resilience, making his presence felt in crucial games.
Edman's stats over his last 15 games are impressive, with six home runs and three stolen bases. The 31-game performance for the Dodgers has brought him a .265/.310/.470 slash line, which improves to an even more notable .284/.333/.523 over his last 23 games. His versatility on the field is evident, with starts in center field (20 starts), shortstop (9 starts), and second base, contributing to a 1.0 WAR over those games.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts praised Edman's performance, stating, “Really surprised with the power. I know that he has an apt to put the barrel on the ball. Certainly versatile defensively. But in the batter's box, he just really takes good at-bats. He's hit six or seven homers for us already in a short period of time and they all seem like they were big. He's gotten a lot of big hits for us.”
Cedric Mullins' Season Turnaround
Meanwhile, Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles has experienced a significant turnaround since a rocky start. On June 8, Mullins had a dismal .170/.221/.301 slash line, struggling to find form early in the season. However, his overall stats now stand at .228/.299/.404 with 18 home runs, demonstrating a substantial improvement.
Mullins has shown remarkable progress with a positive 2.4 WAR in his last 85 games, recovering from a minus-0.4 WAR over the first 57 games of the season. Reflecting on his season, Mullins commented, “I think the biggest part was for me to stop chasing that season (30-30 in 2021). That season was awesome, but at the same time, I think the reason I'm putting up numbers that are similar to it is because I'm no longer chasing that guy. I'm just being who I am.”
Tigers on the Verge of Playoffs
In the American League, the Detroit Tigers are on the cusp of securing a wild-card spot, potentially marking their first playoff berth since 2014. The young Tigers squad has been impressive, with six of Tuesday's starting nine position players being 24 or younger.
One notable change for the Tigers has been the emergence of Trey Sweeney as the starting shortstop following Javier Báez's season-ending hip injury on August 22. Sweeney, acquired in the Jack Flaherty trade with the Dodgers, has taken on the role confidently, starting 29 of 32 games since Báez's injury.
The former first-round pick by the Yankees in 2021, Sweeney had a solid .267/.345/.450 slash line in Triple-A this year, showcasing 15 home runs and 20 steals in 107 games. His transition to the major leagues has been seamless as he reinforces the Tigers' infield defense and contributes to their offensive efforts.
The Tigers' farm system has also played a role in their late-season push, with the recent call-up of top prospect Jackson Jobe providing a boost to their lineup.
As the regular season draws to a close, the performances of players like Tommy Edman and Cedric Mullins, combined with the youthful energy of teams like the Detroit Tigers, set the stage for an exhilarating finish. Baseball fans nationwide will be riveted, eagerly anticipating which teams will secure their spots in the postseason and which players will come out on top in the awards races.