3 Phillies players who could win major awards in 2024
This Phillies team has high expectations, as do the individual players. Which Phillies will take home some hardware this season?
It’s always fun to look at the Philadelphia Phillies going into spring training and envision the best possible outcome for the team but also for each individual player.
Coming into the season, players have certain expectations and goals for themselves that they are striving to reach. For some, it may simply be to bat over .300 or reach the 100 RBI threshold. For others, it could be competing for end-of-season awards like Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, or even MVP.
The Phillies have a roster full of players who surely have their sights set high, looking to play at their highest level and be recognized with the most illustrious of awards.
Last season, the Phillies had two award winners, one on the offensive side and one on the defensive side. Zack Wheeler took home his first Gold Glove Award, and Bryce Harper won his third career Silver Slugger Award, this one at the designated hitter position.
With the Phillies projected to be one of the better teams in the league, there will be more opportunities for Phillies players to bring home some hardware in 2024
Let’s dive into some predictions on which Phillies players have the best chance of winning a year-end award.
Zack Wheeler: Cy Young Award
Starting with one of the players who won an award last year, the 33-year-old bona fide staff ace Zack Wheeler will finally bring home the most sought-after award for pitchers.
Wheeler will get to the apex of the mountain and win the NL Cy Young Award after three straight years of being in the conversation. In 2021, Wheeler finished second in Cy Young voting with a 2.78 ERA and 1.008 WHIP. In 2022, he finished the year with a 2.82 ERA and 1.039 WHIP. Finally, in 2023, Wheeler ended the year with a higher-than-usual 3.61 ERA but just a 1.078 WHIP.
In fact, according to FanGraphs, from 2021 through 2023, Wheeler leads all MLB pitchers with 17.3 fWAR. The next closest pitcher is Kevin Gausman, with a fWAR of 15.8. It’s just a matter of time until Wheeler takes home the hardware.
Steamer's 2024 projections have Wheeler ranked second in all of baseball with a projected 4.7 fWAR, just behind NL East foe Spencer Strider. While you should take projections with a grain of salt, Wheeler is clearly one of the favorites. If a few things fall his way, he can easily be the last man standing.
Although the Cy Young Award is a regular-season award, looking at Wheeler’s playoff numbers, the last two seasons are mind-boggling. Over 63 1/3 innings between 10 starts and one relief appearance, the Phillies ace registered a 2.42 ERA and a 0.72 WHIP.
Wheeler has proven to be a guy who’s not afraid of the bright lights and is built for the big moments. Pitching at a high level on a consistent basis, he has shown year after year that he is one of the best pitchers in the league. The only thing missing for Wheeler is a Cy Young Award and a World Series ring. Maybe he can check both off the list in 2024.
Bryson Stott: Gold Glove Award
In his second year as a major leaguer, Bryson Stott moved across the diamond to become the full-time second baseman so newly acquired Trea Turner could play his regular position of shortstop. Stott didn't disappoint with his glove.
In fact, he was so good at the new position that he was nominated as one of the three finalists for the NL Gold Glove Award. Though he didn’t win the award in 2023, he proved that he needs to be mentioned among the best defensive second basemen in the league.
The 26-year-old stand out will break through in 2024 and bring home the Gold Glove award for the first time in his career.
In 2023, Stott made just five errors over 362 attempts for a .992 fielding percentage. According to FanGraphs, Stott ranked first in the NL (fourth in MLB) at second base with an 11.3 Def rating, ahead of the 2023 Gold Glove winner Nico Hoerner. His accumulated six DRS (defensive runs saved above average) was third in the NL and sixth in MLB. Plus, he led NL second basemen with 16 OAA and 12 RAA.
Simply watching Stott play second base is an absolute treat, and he passes the eye test. Time after time, a ball looks to be hit into the hole to get through to the outfield, but Stott tracks it down and corrals it. He routinely runs down and catches popups that look to be in "no man’s land." In fact, Baseball Savant has him in the 99th percentile in MLB for his range score.
Bryson Stott is a special defender who is just scratching the surface of his defensive prowess. He has multiple Gold Gloves in his future and will get his first in 2024.
Trea Turner: MVP Award
Needless to say, Trea Turner’s first season with the Phillies was a bit of a roller coaster. Everyone is well aware of the standing ovations the Phillies fans gave him that seemingly sparked his resurgence in early August. Before the ovation, in 107 games, he hit .235 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. After Aug 3, in 48 games, he hit .337 with 16 home runs, 42 RBI, and nine steals, not to mention a 1.037 OPS.
The last 48 games of the season is the Trea Turner the Phillies were expecting when they signed him to an 11-year, $300 million contract. Moving his family across the country and playing under the pressure of a big contract in front of a hungry fan base can be pressure-inducing. Having a year under his belt and being settled going into year two will be a huge advantage for the 30-year-old shortstop.
Turner has been one of the best players in all of baseball for a long time. In fact, from 2020 through the 2023 season, he ranks fifth in all of baseball with a 19.8 fWAR, just behind the likes of Mookie Betts and José Ramírez but ahead of perennial MVP candidates Juan Soto, Paul Goldschmidt, and Ronald Acuña Jr. This is even including the disappointing 107 games from 2023.
Turner will look to build off the stretch run in 2023 and the playoff run where he hit .347/.400/.633. 2024 will be the year Trea Turner is awarded the highest individual accolade a player can receive and will bring home the NL MVP Award.
With a team that is expected to be one of the best in the league and feeling comfortable at the plate surrounded by other All-Star caliber players like Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and more, Turner will have the opportunity to rack up the statistics and contribute to a winning team.
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