Francisco Lindor Deserves MVP Honors More Than Shohei Ohtani

Francisco Lindor played a huge role in propelling the New York Mets to a surprise NLCS appearance. After a slow start, New York moved him to the lead-off spot in late May; Lindor got hot and never looked back. Not only did he get it done offensively but in the field as well. Without Lindor’s offensive and defensive prowess, I doubt the Mets would’ve made it to the postseason much less the NLCS. Given how crucial Francisco Lindor was to the Mets’ success this season, he deserves the MVP award more than Shohei Ohtani.

Francisco Lindor Was A Big Reason For The Mets Success

Last season, the Mets got off to a rough start. Francisco Lindor also got off to a woeful start as he only slashed .211/.279/.372 with six home runs and 29 RBI. However, Lindor quickly turned around his season as well as the Mets’ fortunes. From May 21^st till the end of the season, the 31-year-old slashed .309/.377/.566 with 27 homers and 62 RBI. He was also one stolen base away from compiling his second consecutive 30-30 season. Lindor’s impact continued into the postseason as well. In 13 games, the 31-year-old slashed .275/.387/.490 with two homers, eight RBI, and a .877 OPS. He was a big reason why the New York Mets made a surprise run to the NLCS.

Shohei Ohtani Didn’t Make The Same Impact That Lindor Did

A big argument coming from Shohei Ohtani enthusiasts is he had a significantly better year offensively than Lindor. While Ohtani was the first player ever to have a 50-50 season, however, he was only a designated hitter. The fact he didn’t play in the field all season takes a little significance away from the feat. Ohtani didn’t have to make nearly the impact that Lindor made in New York’s lineup. Unlike Lindor, Shohei Ohtani played on a fantasy baseball team that you can construct on the internet. While Max Muncy and Mookie Betts were hurt for most of the season; Ohtani still benefited from having the likes of Freddie Freeman, Will Smith, and Teoscar Hernandez around him. While Shohei Ohtani still had a fantastic season, he didn’t make nearly the difference in the Dodgers’ lineup that fans might think.

Francisco Lindor Not Making The All-Star Team Shouldn’t Matter

Another argument that could be used against Francisco Lindor’s MVP case was he wasn’t an all-star in 2024. However, the all-star game is essentially a middle-school popularity contest and shouldn’t factor into how valuable a player was during the year. Baseball has had 12 different instances where a player was snubbed from the all-star game and later earned MVP honors. This occurrence most recently happened in 2021 with Philadelphia Phillies superstar Bryce Harper. Given how impactful Francisco Lindor was for the Mets in 2024, his not making the all-star team shouldn’t be used against him.

Lindor Made An Impact Defensively Unlike Shohei Ohtani

Due to recovering from Tommy John surgery, Shohei Ohtani didn’t pitch all year. He spent the 2024 season sitting in the dugout waiting for his turn to bat. In turn, Ohtani provided no impact or value defensively. Unlike Ohtani, Lindor was playing the toughest defensive position in baseball at a high level. The 31-year-old shortstop finished the 2024 season ranked third in the league in outs above average with 16. The only players in the National League who finished with more were Dansby Swanson and Brenton Doyle.

Lindor’s Impact Was More Significant

Francisco Lindor compiled a WAR of seven this season. The next highest WAR player on the Mets was Mark Vientos at 3.2. Without Lindor, the Mets wouldn’t have gone to the postseason much less advance to the NLCS. Unlike the Mets and while Ohtani had a WAR of 9.2, the Dodgers would’ve still been a postseason contender without the Japanese star. Los Angeles had multiple players with a WAR of three or more.

Francisco Lindor’s Impact Cannot Be Understated

Francisco Lindor was a big reason why the New York Mets turned around their season and made a deep postseason run. Unlike Lindor, Shohei Ohtani just sat on the bench and waited to hit and never took the field. The Dodgers would’ve still been a postseason team even if the Japanese didn’t play all season. Ohtani was also surrounded by all-star caliber players and didn’t have nearly the impact that Lindor did for the Mets. While the 31-year-old wasn’t an all-star in 2024, it shouldn’t be factored into his MVP argument. Francisco Lindor’s impact both offensively and defensively can’t be understated as without him; the Mets wouldn’t have gone to the playoffs.

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