This week's highlights: Witt-Judge showdown in NY; Ohtani's 50-50 quest

We’re in the stretch run now.

The season's final weeks are upon us after five months and 140-plus games played for each team. While much of the playoff field is close to being established, there’s still plenty to monitor regarding who might take their respective divisions (Yankees or Orioles) or grab the final Wild Card spot in the National League. That’s not to mention the individual awards in each league with plenty at stake in the coming weeks, including one of baseball's top players having a season we've never seen.

With this in mind, here’s a look at the highlights from this week’s schedule.

AL MVP favorites go head-to-head in the Bronx
NYY vs. KC (Mon-Wed)

Aaron Judge is on pace for one of the best offensive seasons in MLB history and is on pace to approach his AL record-setting 62 home runs he hit in 2022. Bobby Witt Jr. would probably be the MVP favorite in a majority of other seasons but might have to instead settle for one of the best non-MVP seasons ever. The two will face off at Yankee Stadium for a three-game set starting Monday in what could be a potential playoff matchup.

Judge is just two years removed from his AL MVP award-winning season where he crushed 62 homers and posted a 1.111 OPS and 11.1 Wins Above Replacement (FanGraphs). After a rough start (for his standards) to his ‘24 season, Judge has been on a tear since the beginning of May and is running a 1.157 OPS and 9.7 WAR. Witt, meanwhile, is two stolen bases shy of his second straight 30-30 season, is tied for the third-best OPS (.992) and is barely behind Judge for the MLB lead in WAR (9.6).

Shohei Ohtani’s push for 50-50
LAD vs. CHC (Mon-Wed); at ATL (Fri-Sun)

It’s almost hard to believe that Ohtani won’t throw a single pitch in 2024 and is still approaching a mark that’s never been set. After taking the baseball world by storm as a two-way player during a dominant three-year stretch with the Angels from 2021-23, Ohtani has been every bit as good as advertised exclusively as a hitter in his first year with the Dodgers.

Ohtani became the first Dodgers player in the 40-40 club with a walk-off grand slam on Aug. 23 and he hasn’t slowed down since. Through his first 140 games, Ohtani has crushed 46 home runs and swiped 46 bases. Entering play on Monday, Ohtani is on pace for 52 home runs and 52 stolen bases, which would make him the first player in MLB history to reach the 50-50 mark.

Mets continue playoff push
NYM at TOR (Mon-Wed); at PHI (Fri-Sun)

After beginning the season 24-33, the Mets have played like one of baseball’s best teams since June and vaulted themselves into the playoff race. As things currently stand, the Mets are tied with the Braves for the third Wild Card spot. Those two clubs are also tied in their season series, which will be determined when New York and Atlanta match up for a three-game set later this month. If the Braves and Mets end the season in a tie, the winner of that three-game set would hold the tiebreaker advantage.

It’s been quite a whirlwind for the Mets over the last three seasons. The Mets won 101 games and took an NL Wild Card spot in 2022 and underperformed in ‘23 before opting to sell players like Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer at the Deadline. New York entered the season as a fringe contender but has played excellent baseball, thanks to an MVP-level season from Francisco Lindor and solid production from free-agent signings like Luis Severino and Sean Manaea.

D-backs face Rangers in WS matchup; play Brewers in possible playoff preview
ARI vs. TEX (Tue-Wed); vs. MIL (Fri-Sun)

The D-backs and Rangers will face off in a rematch of last year’s World Series but it’s been a drastically different 2024 season for the two clubs. Arizona holds the second Wild Card spot in the National League, while the Rangers are in danger of finishing below .500. In the next series, the D-backs will also have a rematch of last year’s Wild Card Series, which went to Arizona in two games. Arizona and Milwaukee could once again face off in the playoffs this year based on how things stand.

The D-backs have struggled mightily on the pitching side of things -- especially in the rotation -- but they boast baseball’s top offense by runs scored. It’s not just Ketel Marte, Christian Walker and Corbin Carroll, either. Joc Pederson, Eugenio Suárez, Randal Grichuk and Josh Bell have been great additions, while Jake McCarthy has taken a huge step forward this season.

Guardians try to reverse struggles vs. White Sox; solidify AL Central lead
CLE at CWS (Mon-Wed); vs. TBR (Thurs-Sun)

Despite the White Sox threatening to break a record for most losses in the Modern Era, the Guardians have struggled in their 10 games against Chicago. The two clubs have split 10 games, compared to the White Sox going a staggering 3-33 against the rest of the AL Central. Even with their subpar play against the White Sox, the Guardians have a three-game lead in the division over the Royals.

As recently as Aug. 27, the Guardians and Royals were tied for first place in the AL Central. After getting off to a scorching hot start, the Guardians faltered through parts of July and August before picking it back up recently. With a light schedule this week, the Guardians can further cement their chance of winning the division.