Nationals announce 2024 Media Awards

The Washington Nationals announced the winners of the ninth-annual end-of-season awards, as voted on by members of the local media on Friday. In the closest voting in the nine-year history of the awards, infielder Luis García Jr. was voted the 2024 Nationals Player of the Year, while right-handed pitcher Kyle Finnegan was named Pitcher of the Year. Outfielder Jacob Young was given the Good Guy Award, presented to a player for his always-professional dealings with members of the media, his work in the community and for representing the Nationals organization with class both on and off the field. All three awards were decided by one vote.

García Jr., 24, was named Player of the Year for the first time after he produced just the second 15 home run-20 stolen base season by a Nationals second baseman. He enters Friday leading the Nationals in batting average (.278), RBI (68), OBP (.315), slugging percentage (.438), OPS (.753) and hits (135). He also ranks in the top three in doubles (2nd, 25), extra-base hits (2nd, 43), total bases (2nd, 213) and runs (3rd, 55). García Jr. set career highs in 2024 in games (137), at-bats (486), hits, doubles, home runs (17), RBI, walks (27) [matches a career high] and stolen bases (21) in 2024.

García Jr. is just one of seven players in Major League Baseball hitting over .275 with 40 extra-base hits and 20 stolen bases entering Friday. He ranks second among National League second basemen in slugging percentage, batting average, RBI and OPS and third in home runs. 

In addition to his career-year at the plate, García Jr. has put together his best defensive season with five outs above average and four runs prevented at second base.

Signed by the Nationals as a non-drafted free agent on July 2, 2016, García Jr. is slashing .269/.301/.408 with 90 doubles, nine triples, 41 home runs, 201 RBI, 81 walks, 34 stolen bases, and 192 runs scored in 462 career games over parts of five Major League seasons. 

Also receiving votes for Player of the Year were CJ Abrams and Jacob Young.

A 2024 National League All-Star, Finnegan, 33, enters Friday with a career-high 38 saves, ranking second in the National League, third in Major League Baseball, are the fourth-most in a season in Nationals history (2005-pres.). In all this season, he is 3-8 with a 3.59 ERA and 59 strikeouts in 62.2 innings of work.

From April 13 to May 8, Finnegan tossed 11.0 consecutive no-hit innings, the second longest no-hit streak in Nationals history (2005–pres.). Finnegan excelled at home, going 19-for-20 in save opportunities with a 1.42 ERA and .155 opponents’ batting average at Nationals Park.

Since signing with the Nationals as a free agent on December 9, 2019, Finnegan is 22-26 with 88 saves and 287 strikeouts in 290 career games (289.1 IP). His 88 career saves and 289 games are both the third-most in Nationals history (2005-pres.) and his 66 saves over the last two seasons are the third-most in Major League Baseball. 

This is Finnegan’s second consecutive Pitcher of the Year Award and his third overall (2021, 2023, 2024). He joins Max Scherzer (2016, 2017, 2018, 2020) as the only other pitcher to win the award more than once.

Also receiving votes for pitcher of the year were Jake Irvin and DJ Herz.

Young, 25, earned the Good Guy Award in his second season with the Nationals. In addition to his play on the field, Young has been active in the community, visiting the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, Children’s Inn, Inova Children’s Hospital, Children’s National Hospital and attending the Nationals Team UP Festival.

On the field, the Gold Glove candidate leads all of Major League Baseball with 21 outs above average and 19 runs prevented. At the plate, he is just one of eight players in Major League Baseball to hit over .250, score 70 runs and steal 30 bases. In all, Young has hit .253 with 24 doubles, one triple, three home runs, 35 RBI, 28 walks, 32 stolen bases and 74 runs scored this season. His 32 stolen bases rank second among Major League rookies, tied for fourth in the National League and are second-most by a rookie in Nationals history behind Trea Turner’s 33 in 2016.

Selected by the Nationals in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB First-Year Player Draft, Young has slashed .253/.314/.331 with 31 doubles, two triples, three home runs, 47 RBI, 38 walks, 45 stolen bases and 83 runs scored in 180 games over the last two seasons.

Also receiving votes for the Good Guy Award were Ildemaro Vargas, Patrick Corbin, Derek Law, Jacob Barnes, Luis García Jr., Josiah Gray, DJ Herz and Jake Irvin. 

Year                        Winners

2024                       Luis García Jr. (Player), Kyle Finnegan (Pitcher), Jacob Young (Good Guy)

2023                        Lane Thomas (Player), Kyle Finnegan (Pitcher), Josiah Gray (Good Guy)

2022                        Lane Thomas (Player), Erasmo Ramírez (Pitcher), Nelson Cruz (Good Guy)

2021                        Juan Soto (Player), Kyle Finnegan (Pitcher), Josh Bell (Good Guy)

2020                       Juan Soto (Player), Max Scherzer (Pitcher), Sean Doolittle (Good Guy)

2019                        Anthony Rendon (Player), Stephen Strasburg (Pitcher), Sean Doolittle (Good Guy)

2018                        Bryce Harper (Player), Max Scherzer (Pitcher), Sean Doolittle (Good Guy)

2017                        Anthony Rendon (Player), Max Scherzer (Pitcher), Ryan Zimmerman (Good Guy)

2016                        Daniel Murphy (Player), Max Scherzer (Pitcher), Ryan Zimmerman (Good Guy)