The 30 most exciting endings of 2024
Thomas Harrigan
@HarriganMLBFrom stunning rallies and memorable walk-offs to game-saving defensive plays, the 2024 Major League Baseball season was packed with exciting endings that kept fans on the edge of their seats all year long.
As part of its year-end countdown highlighting the best moments of 2024, MLB Network took a look at the top finishes we saw this past season.
Here are the unforgettable moments that made the list.
1. Freeman plays hero with walk-off slam, Oct. 25 vs. NYY (World Series Game 1)
In a moment that was eerily reminiscent of Kirk Gibson’s 1988 heroics on the same field, a hobbled Freddie Freeman lifted Los Angeles to a stunning victory over the Yankees in Game 1 of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium, belting the first walk-off grand slam in Fall Classic history. The Dodgers went on to win the series as Freeman earned MVP honors with four homers, 12 RBIs and a 1.364 OPS against New York.
2. Alonso rescues Mets with go-ahead homer, Oct. 3 at MIL (NL Wild Card Series Game 3)
Just three days after clinching a postseason berth with a lead-flipping homer in the top of the ninth inning against the Braves (see below), the Mets did it again against the Brewers. This time, it was Pete Alonso who came up in the clutch, crushing a three-run homer off All-Star closer Devin Williams with one out in the ninth. The Mets won the game, 4-2, eliminating Milwaukee and moving on to face the Phillies in the NLDS.
3. Yankees clinch pennant behind Soto’s clutch blast, Oct. 19 at CLE (ALCS Game 5)
Although he spurned the Bronx Bombers to sign a record-setting deal with the rival Mets in free agency, Juan Soto’s 2024 season will forever hold a special place in Yankees lore, thanks in large part to his 10th-inning homer against the Guardians in Game 5 of the ALCS. Soto’s tiebreaking three-run blast, which came after he fouled off three straight two-strike pitches from Hunter Gaddis, put the Yankees in the World Series for the first time since 2009.
4. Lindor lifts Mets into postseason, Sept. 30 at ATL
After Hurricane Helene caused two of their games to be postponed, the Mets and Braves met in Atlanta for a doubleheader with major playoff implications on the final day of the regular season. New York clinched a postseason berth with a thrilling 8-7 win in Game 1, which featured three lead changes in the final two innings. The decisive blow came off the bat of Francisco Lindor, who launched a go-ahead, two-run homer in the top of the ninth inning.
5. Ohtani joins 40-40 club with walk-off grand slam, Aug. 23 vs. TB
Shohei Ohtani found a way to make his entry into the 40-40 club even more special, doing so with a walk-off grand slam -- the first walk-off homer of his career, no less -- against the Rays. Ohtani reached the 40-40 mark in his 126th game of the season, 21 games faster than any of the other five members in the club. But Ohtani was far from done, as he went on to record the first 50-50 campaign in MLB history en route to his third career MVP Award.
6. Noel, Fry stun Yankees in ALCS, Oct. 17 vs. NYY (ALCS Game 3)
One inning after pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel kept Cleveland’s hopes alive with a game-tying, two-out homer in the bottom of the ninth, David Fry delivered a clutch two-run dinger of his own, walking it off and preventing the Guardians from falling into a three-games-to-none series hole against the Yankees.
7. Castellanos ties up NLDS with walk-off single, Oct. 6 vs. NYM (NLDS Game 2)
Game 2 of the NLDS was a back-and-forth affair that saw the Phillies overcome 3-0 and 4-3 deficits before pulling ahead, 6-4, in the eighth, only for the Mets’ Mark Vientos to shock the Citizens Bank Park crowd with a game-tying, two-run homer in the top of the ninth. The Phillies refused to back down, however, as Nick Castellanos delivered a walk-off single to left field after Trea Turner and Bryce Harper worked two-out walks in the bottom of the frame, sealing a 7-6 victory for Philadelphia.
8. Carpenter hits go-ahead homer off Clase, Oct. 9 at CLE (ALDS Game 2)
Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase was virtually untouchable during the regular season, finishing the year with a 0.61 ERA over 74 1/3 innings. However, Kerry Carpenter stunned Clase and the Guardians in Game 2 of the ALDS, breaking a scoreless tie with a three-run homer in the top of the ninth inning. The Tigers held on for the 3-0 win, knotting up the series at one game apiece.
9. Padres clinch playoff spot with triple play, Sept. 24 at LAD
With the tying run on base and Ohtani standing in the on-deck circle, San Diego went around the horn for an incredible triple play to clinch a playoff berth in dramatic fashion. The Padres made history in the process, becoming the first team to secure a postseason spot with a game-ending triple play.
10. Carroll’s walk-off homer completes D-backs’ comeback, July 29 vs. WSH
Facing an 8-2 deficit entering the bottom of the seventh, the D-backs put together an epic comeback that included a five-run ninth inning -- capped by Corbin Carroll’s lead-flipping walk-off homer as a pinch-hitter -- against Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan.
29. Jackson Merrill's diving catch, Aug. 12 vs. PIT Watch >
30. Christian Encarnacion-Strand's walk-off homer, March 31 vs. WSH