The biggest surprises during the 2024 MLB season so far

Before going on the IL, Abreu was a revelation for the Red Sox both offensively and defensively. He hit .272-6-22 with 22 extra-base hits in only 53 games, and routinely made great plays in the field.

A groundball specialist, Assad wasn’t even guaranteed a rotation spot heading into Spring Training. Now it’s incredible to think about where the Cubs would be this year without him. The right-hander has upped his strikeout rate and posted a 2.74 ERA through 13 starts.

Acquired from the Mariners in the offseason, Caballero has sparked the Rays offense with a league-leading 21 stolen bases over his first 55 games played. His bat has slowed after a fast start, but outstanding defense makes up for the offensive deficiencies.

Returning from Tommy John surgery, Crochet’s role was unclear coming into Spring Training. He was slotted in the rotation and is a legitimate Cy Young candidate through the first two months of the season. The lefty was 6-5 with a 3.33 ERA and league-leading 103 strikeouts through his first 14 starts.

Flaherty was an ace early in his career with the Cardinals, but injuries and velocity issues pushed his career in the wrong direction. He’s back on track with the Tigers after signing a one-year deal in the offseason, pitching like an ace with a 3.22 ERA and 94 strikeouts over 72.2 innings through 12 starts.

Fry made the Guardians roster as a platoon bat against left-handed pitching, but he’s been much more. In fact, Fry has been one of baseball’s best hitters with a 1.065 OPS through 44 games played, raking against right-handed pitching as well as lefties.

The Yankees needed someone to step up after Gerrit Cole went down with an elbow injury, but Gil has come almost out of nowhere. The right-hander shined in Spring Training and hasn’t slowed down, going 8-1 with a 1.82 ERA through 12 starts. His poor control and a possible innings limit following elbow surgery are concerns, but Gil has a chance to be the AL’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game.

Houck looked like a potential ace early in his career but finished last season with an ERA above 5.00. A new pitching coach and subtle pitch adjustments have put Houck back on track, with a 1.91 ERA and elite control through 13 starts.

Imanaga didn’t come to the States with the fanfare of fellow Japanese starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, but he’s arguably been the better pitcher after signing a two-year, $22.5 million contract with the Cubs. The lefty’s rising fastball has led to elite control and a 1.88 ERA through 11 starts.

Washington remains competitive in the NL Wild Card race this season, and Irvin is a big reason. After flashing in his rookie season, Irvin has taken another step forward this season with a 3.12 ERA in 13 starts while showing great control.

Jeffers had a surprise breakout season last year with 14 home runs and an .858 OPS in 96 games. He isn’t getting on base as often this season but is showing even more power with 12 home runs through his first 56 games. As a result, Jeffers is seeing significant time at DH and helping jumpstart the Twins lineup.

Joe was a solid contributor after joining the Pirates last season, and he’s been arguably their most consistent performer this year. He’s well on his way to a career year, hitting .270-7-25 in his first 56 games.

Jones was considered a very good prospect before this season, but improvements in his velocity have upped his projection. He’s been an early ace for the Pirates with a 3.25 ERA after 12 starts, fanning nearly 10 batters per nine innings.

Cleveland rarely has an issue finding pitching, and Lively is their latest find. The 32-year-old right-hander was 5-2 with a 2.84 ERA through his first nine starts, helping replace the injured Shane Bieber.

The early returns on Lugo’s two-year, $30 million contract in KC are fantastic. He’s an AL Cy Young candidate, beginning the season 9-1 with a 2.13 ERA through 13 starts after a breakout year in San Diego’s rotation last season.

Pillar’s MLB career was hanging by a thread before this season, and he struggled in 17 games early with the White Sox. After tagging on with the Angels, the veteran has seemingly turned his career around, hitting .375-6-22 with four steals in 24 games in Anaheim. Who knows how long the production will last, but the 35-year-old is becoming one of the league’s best stories.

After struggling in Colorado and San Diego last season, Profar settled for a one-year, $1 million contract late in the offseason. At age 31, he’s arguably been San Diego’s best player, hitting .325-9-42 with an NL-high .418 on-base percentage.

Rafaela forced his way onto the Red Sox roster with a great Spring Training. While he’s looked like a rookie at times, Rafaela is near a 20/20, 100 RBI pace while playing elite defense at both center field and shortstop. He also showed progress with the bat in May.

The oft-injured Sale looks like his old self early this season after getting traded from Boston in Atlanta in the offseason. He’s 8-2 with a 3.10 ERA and a career-best 8.36 K/BB ratio in 12 starts, effectively replacing the injured Spencer Strider as Atlanta’s ace.

Texas showed a lot of faith in Smith over the last two years despite his struggles at the plate, and they are being rewarded this season. He’s been the primary replacement for the injured Josh Jung at third base, hitting .284-4-24 with an .802 OPS through 61 games played.

The left-handed Suarez was a quality middle of the rotation starter before this season. Suddenly, he looks like an ace with improved control resulting in a 9-1 record and 1.70 ERA through 12 starts.

Turang struggled with the bat in his rookie season, but has made up for lost time early this season. He’s ascended to the leadoff spot for Milwaukee against right-handers, hitting .303 with 23 steals in his first 59 games.

Westburg didn’t receive the hype of some of Baltimore’s other top prospects, but he’s been a terrific performer early this season. He’s helped the team demolish lefties, hitting .280-10-38 with an .832 OPS overall in 58 games.

Williams has profiled as a fifth starter for most of his career, showing below average velocity. That changed this season with improved secondary stuff, as he began the season 5-0 with a 2.22 ERA in 11 starts before suffering an arm injury.

Winker was an All-Star in 2021 with the Reds, but injuries hindered him over the last two seasons. His career was on the brink until a strong Spring Training with Washington, which has continued into the regular season. Winker hit .261-6-28 with a .369 on-base percentage and career-high 11 stolen bases through 61 games.