It has been 11 years because the high seeds from every league met within the World Collection. It is arguably been a long time because the Fall Basic featured this a lot star energy.
Whereas the perennial All-Stars will entice many of the headlines, the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers every characteristic deep rosters that will likely be wanted to triumph of their coming showdown.
Taking each the common season and this postseason under consideration, FOX Sports activities MLB specialists Rowan Kavner and Deesha Thosar ranked the highest 24 gamers competing within the 2024 World Collection.
1. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers, designated hitter
Unable to pitch this season, baseball’s most original expertise discovered one other method to make historical past with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases. Ohtani ended the common season with 12 hits in his final 14 at-bats with runners in scoring place, then carried that clutch manufacturing into his first profession postseason, the place he’s 6-for-9 in these spots. He had extra hits (eight) and walks (9) than strikeouts (seven) within the NLCS and has a .934 OPS total this October. He joined the Dodgers for the prospect to win championships. Now, MLB’s grandest stage beckons. — Kavner
2. Juan Soto, New York Yankees, proper fielder
The highest three on this record got here so shut in our voting that it goes to point out how tight these high offenses will likely be on this showdown. What makes this one fascinating is that Soto really did not play towards the Dodgers this 12 months; he was sidelined with left forearm irritation after they got here to the Bronx in June. Soto’s absence was sorely missed — the Dodgers outscored the Yankees 17-10 within the three-game collection — however his 203 wRC+ this postseason signifies he’ll make up for it within the Fall Basic. — Thosar
3. Aaron Decide, New York Yankees, middle fielder
With the narrative of his playoff droop behind him, Decide got here up large within the ALCS with a game-tying dwelling run in Sport 4, and it appears like he is simply getting began. Decide, born in Linden, California may have a ton of household, together with his mother and father, coming to the World Collection in Los Angeles. The presumptive AL MVP will need to exhibit at what he has described as one among his favourite locations to play — after New York, that’s. — Thosar
4. Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers, proper fielder
Keep in mind once we have been speaking about Betts’ postseason struggles? That seems like a factor of the previous now for the previous MVP, whose a whole lot of swings per day appear to have gotten him proper. He was 3-for-44 over his earlier 12 postseason video games when he broke out with a homer and two hits in Sport 3 of the NLDS. Now, he’s hitting .342 with 4 homers and a 1.182 OPS over his previous 9 playoff video games. Most significantly, he’s constantly making opponents pay any time they pitch round Ohtani. There’s nowhere for pitchers to cover. — Kavner
5. Giancarlo Stanton, New York Yankees, designated hitter
Finishing the Yankees’ problematic trifecta, Stanton turns into a special participant when October rolls round as a result of, in his phrases, he “needs a hoop” and he is not going to be happy till he will get it. Wanting on the ALCS MVP trophy and declaring that it does not imply something to him, as a result of he needs the following one, is the type of mentality that has carried the Yankees to the largest stage in baseball. He homered in every of the ultimate three video games of the ALCS. Will he win the World Collection MVP award subsequent? — Thosar
6. Gerrit Cole, New York Yankees, beginning pitcher
The Yankees’ veteran right-hander is inarguably the very best pitcher within the World Collection, so it is solely proper that he is the primary arm to point out up in our participant rankings, too. This will likely be Cole’s second time pitching within the Fall Basic, and his first time since Soto hit dwelling runs off him in back-to-back World Collection begins in 2019. Good factor for Cole that the generational slugger and the reigning Cy Younger winner are on the identical staff now. — Thosar
7. Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers, first baseman
He’d most likely discover his approach greater than seventh on this record underneath regular circumstances. When Freeman sprained his ankle on Sept. 26, medical doctors instructed him it was most likely a 4-6 week harm. 9 days later, he was within the Dodgers’ lineup for Sport 1 of the NLDS. He gritted by means of the ache, lacking just one recreation of the collection and someway posting a .353 batting common by means of his first 5 video games of October. However his manufacturing halted within the NLCS, and he missed two of the ultimate three video games of the collection. Is per week of relaxation sufficient to get him again to type? — Kavner
8. Teoscar Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers, left fielder
Hernández constructed a penchant for coming by means of within the greatest moments in his first season in Los Angeles, and that was by no means extra obvious than within the NLDS, when his grand slam in Sport 3 turned what ought to have been a rout right into a nail-biter and his homer in a do-or-die Sport 5 helped the Dodgers transfer ahead. The NLCS, nevertheless, was a special story. His swing appeared out of kinds whereas going hitless by means of his first 5 video games of the collection earlier than he broke out with two hits within the Sport 6 clincher. The Dodgers should hope that will get him going once more. — Kavner
9. Carlos Rodón, New York Yankees, beginning pitcher
The latter arm of the Yankees’ 1-2 punch has appeared a lot better in his outings since he managed to regulate his feelings on the mound after a ALDS Sport 1 begin that rapidly spiraled out of his palms. Rodón mentioned, again in June when the Yankees hosted the Dodgers, it crossed his thoughts that the assembly is likely to be a World Collection preview. He is trying ahead to dealing with Ohtani and going deep into his begin for New York. — Thosar
10. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning pitcher
How a lot confidence will June 7 within the Bronx give Yamamoto within the World Collection? On that day, he featured his slider greater than ever earlier than and fired seven scoreless innings in his greatest begin of his first season stateside. There was some thought, nevertheless, that the pitch might need additionally contributed to the shoulder pressure that might sideline him quickly after for practically three months. He has not gone greater than 5 innings since that outing, however even briefly stints, he has confirmed this postseason to be efficient. He picked the slider again up his final outing and struck out eight in 4.1 innings in Sport 4 of the NLCS towards the Mets. Can he replicate his success with the pitch towards the Yankees once more? — Kavner
11. Max Muncy, Los Angeles Dodgers, third baseman
At one level within the NLCS, Muncy set a brand new single-season postseason report reaching base 12 consecutive instances up. His capability to work counts, draw walks and do harm when he will get one thing within the zone is perhaps the very best instance of what makes this Dodgers’ lineup so harmful, even past the MVPs on the high. After an indirect and rib concern eradicated three months of his season, he picked up the place he left off previous to the harm and completed the season with an .852 OPS. Muncy led all gamers within the LCS with 11 walks and likewise homered twice. — Kavner
12. Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers, catcher
After a troublesome second half, the playoffs have been an identical battle on the plate for the All-Star catcher. Smith is 6-for-38 with seven walks this postseason, however he has made his hits rely. He homered within the first of back-to-back elimination video games for the Dodgers within the NLDS and helped ship his staff to the World Collection with one other dwelling run in Sport 6 of the NLCS, giving him slightly momentum shifting ahead and offering a reminder that he’s nonetheless among the best catchers in baseball. — Kavner
13. Jack Flaherty, Los Angeles Dodgers, beginning pitcher
Will the Dodgers get the model of Flaherty who tossed seven scoreless innings towards the Mets in Sport 1 of the NLCS? Or will they get the model with diminished velocity who surrendered eight runs and did not strike anybody out his final outing in Sport 5? The deadline addition has been a significant piece for the Dodgers’ ravaged rotation, however contemplating Flaherty’s significance to his staff, the reply to that query may decide whether or not the Dodgers are celebrating their franchise’s eighth championship. — Kavner
14. Gleyber Torres, New York Yankees, second baseman
Discuss an unsung hero. After a midseason benching for his lackadaisical play, together with too many fielding errors to rely at second base, Torres actually turned his season round in September and hasn’t appeared again. Hitting leadoff in entrance of Soto, Decide, and Stanton, Torres has a .832 OPS together with 9 runs scored in 9 playoff video games this 12 months. He is served as a terrific tablesetter in October, when it has lastly come collectively for the soon-to-be free agent. — Thosar
15. Tommy Edman, Los Angeles Dodgers, shortstop
“Once we acquired him, we mentioned NLCS MVP or bust,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman quipped after the under-the-radar midseason addition led all gamers within the LCS with 11 hits and tied Corey Seager’s 2020 NLCS report with 11 RBI. When the Dodgers acquired Edman on the deadline, they could not have imagined he’d be knocking in 4 runs within the clean-up spot within the NLCS clincher. However they did envision a flexible defender who may play a number of spots and lengthen the lineup, which is what he has finished. His capability to play each middle and shortstop has been essential with Miguel Rojas banged up. The offensive manufacturing is a significant bonus. — Kavner
16. Anthony Volpe, New York Yankees, shortstop
The Yankees shortstop performed in 160 video games this 12 months and his capability to submit has been invaluable to the Yankees – even when his bat wasn’t the place the membership needed it to be. Fortuitously for New York, Volpe has appeared a lot better on the plate in October, batting .429 (6-for-14) with a 1.029 OPS in his previous 4 video games. Although that is all a small pattern measurement inside Volpe’s first-career journey to the playoffs, his capability to step up when the lights are brightest has mattered an ideal deal to this Yankees lineup. — Thosar
17. Luke Weaver, New York Yankees, aid pitcher
The Yankees reliever with a 6-foot-2, 183-pound wiry body has all of the sudden turn into some of the vital gamers on the roster because the staff will get prepared for the NL’s most deadly offense. Having simply jumped into nearer duties in September and bringing 4 profession saves into October, Weaver accomplished his first 5 appearances and not using a blemish. The Yankees at the moment are betting the home on Weaver to ship essentially the most essential lockdown performances of the journeyman’s nine-year profession thus far. — Thosar
18. Kiké Hernández, Los Angeles Dodgers, second baseman
The Dodgers’ Mr. October resides as much as the moniker once more. A profession .238 hitter identified extra for his capability to assist defensively throughout the diamond, Hernández continues to remodel into somebody fully totally different this time of 12 months. After going deep twice this postseason, he now has 15 profession playoff dwelling runs — the identical quantity as Aaron Decide and Babe Ruth. Albert Pujols, David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are the one gamers in baseball historical past to log a better profession postseason OPS than Hernández (.889) in at the very least 75 playoff video games. — Kavner
19. Blake Treinen, Los Angeles Dodgers, aid pitcher
He is now not pumping fastballs within the high-90s the way in which he did previous to the shoulder surgical procedure that worn out his 2023 season, however he has demonstrated that his pitch combine can nonetheless be simply as nasty just a few ticks down. His sweeper-sinker pairing is without doubt one of the only in baseball — opponents struck out 37 instances and registered simply 9 hits towards his sweeper this 12 months — and his capability to overlook bats hasn’t been compromised in his return. He threw the ultimate two innings to ship the Dodgers to the World Collection and has allowed only one run in eight innings this postseason. — Kavner
20. Jazz Chisholm, New York Yankees, third baseman
Chisholm was some of the vital commerce items of the summer season and his speedy sizzling begin within the Bronx energized a Yankees staff that was in want of a spark on the time. He stays a key glue man within the clubhouse now, his youthful character seemingly bringing out the very best in different, quieter guys like Volpe. Chisholm has but to seek out his signature second in his third-career journey to the playoffs this 12 months, however as one of many Yankees’ quickest runners, he is nonetheless a menace each time he will get on base. — Thosar
21. Anthony Rizzo, New York Yankees, first baseman
As Aaron Boone famous after Rizzo returned from harm within the playoffs, the veteran first baseman has been performing even higher than what the Yankees anticipated. Rizzo has made taking part in with fractured fingers look simple, and his expertise on the right way to navigate the World Collection — and win it, like he did for the 2016 Cubs — nonetheless makes him one among high gamers of any postseason roster this October. — Thosar
22. Clarke Schmidt, New York Yankees, beginning pitcher
The correct-hander from College Of South Carolina tends to fly underneath the radar on this star-studded Yankees roster, however that does not make him any much less consequential on a staff needing these ultimate 4 wins for a championship. Schmidt may even see his begin day moved as much as Sport 2 in Los Angeles rather than Rodón, as a result of the Dodgers hit lefties so nicely and Schmidt undoubtedly has the psychological stamina to dam out the pressures of pitching on the highway. He is not talked about sufficient, however Schmidt’s many belongings, together with a 50% ground-ball charge this October, are important on this race to the title. — Thosar
23. Evan Phillips, Los Angeles Dodgers, aid pitcher
This was essentially the most up-and-down season for Phillips since he joined the Dodgers in 2021 and have become one among MLB’s most dependable relievers. After logging a 2.73 ERA and 1.08 WHIP within the first half, he had a 4.68 ERA and 1.32 WHIP after the break. Nevertheless, Phillips ended the common season with only one run allowed in his ultimate six appearances and has carried that momentum into October, once more serving as one among Dave Roberts’ most trusted leverage choices. Phillips has not allowed a run in 5 appearances this postseason and is holding hitters to a .130 common, which is particularly notable when he is constantly dealing with the opponent’s high threats. — Kavner
24. Tommy Kahnle, New York Yankees, aid pitcher
The Yankees’ high-energy reliever famously used to drink 5 Crimson Bulls and two cups of espresso a day, so it is a miracle that he is nonetheless a viable possibility on this Yankees bullpen. However, greater than that, Kahnle will enter his first profession World Collection look having simply recorded an enormous save for New York in Sport 4 of the ALCS whereas Weaver was down. After recording a 2.11 ERA in 50 regular-season outings, Kahnle has but to permit a run in seven innings this October, proving to be a key piece of the Yankees’ postseason puzzle. — Thosar
Rowan Kavner is an MLB author for FOX Sports activities. He beforehand lined the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved again to the West Coast in 2014. Observe him on Twitter at @RowanKavner.
Deesha Thosar is an MLB author for FOX Sports activities. She beforehand lined the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Each day Information. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Lengthy Island and now lives in Queens. Observe her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.
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