Michael Harris is playing his best baseball of the year when his Braves need him most. The 2022 National League Rookie of The Year homered five times in his last seven games and is hitting .486 over that span to earn himself the top spot on our final #HighFive list of the season.
1. “Money” Michael Harris
With Ronald Acuna, Austin Riley and Ozzie Albies among others shelved with injuries while Atlanta chases the final National League Wild Card spot, Harris has turned his game up another level.
He has multiple hits in six of his last seven games including three three-hit contests, one coming last Thursday in a two-homer game against the Reds to help eliminate them from contention.
On Tuesday, Harris showed the world why he is one of the top five-tool players in the Majors.
He finished a triple shy of the cycle, hit his eighth home run in the month of September, matching his total from the rest of the season and made a diving catch earlier that game to preserve a 4-0 lead.
The Braves will face the Royals over the weekend before their Monday double header against the Mets that could decide the final playoff spot.
2. Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge, who sat atop the #HighFive for most of 2024 takes the second spot on our Week 25 list after hitting a home run in four consecutive games.
Judge’s 2024 was one of the best offensive seasons in Major League history.
In addition to leading baseball in most all hitting categories, his 10.6 Offensive WAR is top 20 in the history of baseball and is the highest mark since Judge’s 10.3 in 2022. Before that, you have to go to Barry Bonds 2001 MVP year where he finished with a 12.4 WAR, the highest ever recorded.
In his last seven games Judge slashed .364/.533/.955 with four homers, eight RBI, eight walks and a stolen base.
3. Byron Buxton
“As long as we win that is all that matters,” Byron Buxton told reporters after a big win Wednesday night to put his Twins two games out of the last Wild Card spot.
Buxton, who has hits in five consecutive games hit a 450-ft game-tying blast to tie Wednesday’s contest against the Marlins.
This was the first season Buxton played 100 games in since playing 140 in 2017. Although he still missed more time than he wanted to, this was a step in the right direction.
4. Giancarlo Stanton
Giancarlo Stanton is finishing his regular season strong as he looks to play a major factor this postseason.
He is hitting .333 with a homer and four RBI over his last five games as the Yankees look to clinch the top seed in the American League.
Wednesday night marked the 13th time this season Stanton and Judge have homered in the same game which only trails the duo of Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle who did it 14 times in 1961.
5. Lawrence Butler “Law Dawg”
Lawrence Butler is the final member of the Oakland Athletics to make earn a spot on our #HighFive list.
“We hear them, we care about them and this means a lot to them,” Butler told reporters when discussing the team’s decision to wear their kelly green jerseys with “Oakland” across their every game during the final homestand at the Coliseum.
Butler surged this season after spending a few weeks in Triple A and I believe he will be on the All-Star team next year in his hometown of Atlanta.
He hit .364 with a stolen base during the last series against the Rangers and on the season has hit 22 home runs, 20 of them coming since June 30th.
Baseball is a game. However, the professional sport called Major League Baseball is a business. Moving professional teams away from their fanbase, no matter how loyal they are, is part of the dark side of it.
After 56 years, the Oakland A’s despite efforts they said fell short, announced in April of 2023 of the decision to move to Las Vegas.
An Era Is Over In Oakland: Las Vegas A’s?
With the final series starting this week along with the statement from the A’s, it is real.
“We are deeply grateful to Oakland for being home to the A’s for nearly 60 years. In that span, the team and its fans celebrated four World Series championships, served as home to seven American League MVPs, made countless lasting memories, and achieved a storied place in baseball history. After an earnest and unprecedented effort to bring a visionary ballpark to downtown Oakland, we were unable to reach a deal, and more importantly, secure a reliable path to a fully approved project.
We appreciate the community members, local leaders and staff who worked diligently to build a new home in Oakland and applaud the fans who passionately advocated for the team to stay. The A’s time in Oakland will always be a cherished part of this franchise’s history, and we carry that spirit forward on this journey to Sacramento and eventually to our new home in Las Vegas. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the loyal fans for their unwavering support throughout the years.”
To make things worse, with the stadium details in Vegas being worked out, the owners’ decision to move to Sacramento only angered fans and local media alike.
Sports reporter Larry Beil of KGO, the ABC affiliate, summed up the frustration of the situation thoroughly.
MLBbro.com could go on forever trying to cover all of the MLBbros that put on a uniform and added to the Oakland A’s legacy.
But here’s the ones that need to be honored.
Rickey Henderson:
When it comes to stolen bases, this MLBbro is the standard for which all players have to live up to. The end. Rickey Henderson is the stolen base king holding the record with 1,406. Since 1991 when he passed Lou Brock’s total of 938, the mere discussion of breaking Rickey’s record is non-existent.
The ten-time All-Star and 1990 AL MVP led the league in runs scored five times, in walks four times and in hits once. He hit .300 or better eight times and is in the 3,000 hit club. He played for multiple teams but his star shines brightest in Oakland while swiping bases. His single season record of 130 was in an A’s uniform.
Dave “Smoke” Stewart:
This brother was cold. His demeanor along with that mean look on the mound made him a household name. Along with the fact that he’s one of only 15 MLBbro pitchers to win 20 or more games in a season and he did it multiple times (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990).
MLBbro.com has covered Stewart’s progress to bring an MLB expansion team to Nashville. With the front office experience “Smoke” had that matched his pitching prowess, it’s sad that he couldn’t save the A’s for the Oakland faithful.
That’s not to say that an MLBbro legend didn’t try…
Reggie Jackson:
We could talk about the great things the MLBbro did on the baseball field to earn the nickname “Mr. October”. But the fact that Reggie Jackson actually had a group together to buy the Oakland A’s that included Bill Gates should be enough.
Reggie talked about it on Howard Stern’s radio show…
The group at the time was willing to pay $25 million more than the highest bidder. Despite promises from then MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, the team was sold to Lewis Wolff.
For this effort alone, this MLBbro is the most influential and loyal person ever attached to the Oakland A’s.
Josh Naylor has had an impressive year so far with the Cleveland Guardians. The 27-year-old was selected to his first All-Star Game and he will have the opportunity to make his third appearance in the postseason. Through 148 games this season, Naylor is hitting .240 with 31 home runs and 105 RBI. We have had the opportunity to see that power displayed in full force at the plate.
The 30-plus homers are a first. Since joining the Guardians in 2020, Naylor has steadily progressed and shown why he deserves to be in the big leagues and that he’s an important piece to this Guardians team.
Cleveland has had a lot of success this season, and Naylor has been a big part of that. Now, as the postseason is approaching, Naylor will have the opportunity once again to help his team make a run at a World Series title.
The Guardians clinched the American League Central Division this year and the last time they clinched was back in 2022, making that two times in the last three years.
Cleveland’s last World Series appearance came in 2016 when they lost to the Chicago Cubs in Game 7.
Naylor is no stranger to the postseason. In 2020, he made a huge impact while only playing in two games. In those two games, he went five-for-seven at the plate with a home run and three RBI.
He saw more action during the 2022 playoffs, posting a .194 average in seven games.
Time after time, Naylor has proved himself to be a threat at the plate this season. He has come up clutch in numerous situations to help put his team in a position to win games.
#MLBbro Josh Naylor is putting the Land on his back this game accounting for 100% of their runs with 2 Bro Bombs💣💣🔥 https://t.co/XNSj9WZlMy
And his teammates love the energy he brings each and every day.
“Josh is our guy, that’s our heart and soul,” Will Brennan said. “He goes into demon mode like that, you’ve got to just let him do his thing.”
Naylor plays with a lot of passion and he’s not afraid to show that.
This will be a season that Naylor will not forget, setting career-highs in home runs and RBIs.
“What a cool accolade for him,” said manager Stephen Vogt. “It’s a huge milestone for players. It’s something special to have two guys in our lineup with 30 and 100.”
Josh Naylor isn't far behind José Ramírez in home runs this season, and Josey says he hopes Nayls can catch and beat his numbers because that's what's best for the team. #ForTheLandpic.twitter.com/0907HpwbWa
With Naylor and Jose Ramirez in the Guardians lineup, that is a recipe for runs to be scored. And even with all the individual success that Naylor has achieved this season, he is more focused on the team.
“Team wins mean more to me,” Naylor said. “Just the production we have as a unit, that’s more important to me, and to get into the postseason.”
Don’t be surprised if Naylor goes on to have a productive postseason. If Cleveland wants to make a deep run, Naylor will be one player who will need to come out swinging and have consistent production at the plate.
Aaron Judge is finishing another MVP season strong as he prepares to lead the Yankees into the playoffs. After a career-high 16-game homerless drought, Judge is back bangin’.
Kumar Rocker’s Major League debut was worth the wait as his slider is already looking like one of the most dangerous pitches in baseball. He takes the top spot on Week 24 of our #HighFive list after a solid first outing against the Mariners.
Kumar Rocker
Rocker struck out seven and gave up just one run on three hits in his Major League debut last Thursday in Seattle.
“It was the adrenaline rush you always need,” Rocker told me when describing his debut.
“It was time to compete at the highest level and I just wanted to make the most of it.”
He got seventeen swings and misses, 13 by way of his reaper type slider which is Rocker’s best pitch. At times, it can move like a curveball.
Since he got to Vanderbilt, Rocker has shown he can be one of the most dominant pitchers in the world. His college resume includes a College World Series Super Regionals no-hitter over Duke, a 19-strikeout game and a CWS Most Outstanding award all as a freshman.
Now the goal for Rocker is to end the season strong and help prepare to step into a full-time role in the Major League rotation in 2024.
Aaron Judge
Aaron Judge takes the two spot on our #HighFive list after snapping his career-long homerless streak and helping his Yankees become the first team in the American League to clinch a playoff spot with a 2-for-4 four RBI performance Wednesday night.
Judge went 16 games without hitting a bomb before launching a go-ahead grand slam last Friday to get the win against the rival Boston Red Sox.
Even without consistently hitting the ball out of the ballpark, he still has found ways to be effective on offense.
In 15 games this month Judge has reached safely in all but one.
Over his last seven games, he is hitting .333 with 10 RBI, a stolen base, six walks and two home runs.
C.J. Abrams
C.J. Abrams clinched his first 20/20 season of his career, putting a bow on one of the best seasons for any MLBbro this year.
In year three we saw signs of why C.J. Abrams was one of the most highly touted prospects when he came to Washington in the Juan Soto deal.
He got close to the mark last year after stealing 47 bases and hitting 18 home runs in 2023, but this time around Abrams became the second MLBbro in the 20/20 club this season, the other being New York Yankee third baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr.
In his last seven games, the 2024 National League All-Star shortstop has a .320 average, a .600 slugging percentage and he hit two solo home runs.
“Late Night” LaMonte Wade
LaMonte Wade is one of the most consistent players in the Majors when it comes to getting on base.
He has hits in seven of his last eight games and has raised his play during this final month of the year after struggling through the entire summer.
Wade has a .348 average and .400 on base percentage in his last seven games.
However, his surge may be too little too late as his Giants are slowly fading away in the race for one of the final National League Wild Card spots.
Lawrence Butler
Lawrence Butler gets the final spot on this week’s #HighFive list after his career-long 22-game hitting streak.
That streak tied Butler for the second longest one in the Majors this season, trailing only Bryan Reynolds who had hits in 25 straight games.
The hitless games would not last long, as he picked up hits in his next two games including his first career homer in Wrigley Field.
Butler is slashing .328/.379/.508 with three steals, four RBI and two home runs in September.
With the season rapidly coming to a close, the New York Yankees as of this writing look as if they will take the American League East title, outlasting the surprising efforts of the Baltimore Orioles.
With the postseason coming in a few weeks, Major League Baseball can sell the potential matchup of their two most historic franchises in history in the Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees in the World Series, a rivalry that goes back decades when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn led by MLBbro icon, Jackie Robinson.
With the sport looking for new inventive ways of promoting and marketing the game of baseball, maybe a strategy used by the NBA can draw interest to not only the diamond but the way teams are constructed.
In the early 2000s, the NBA saw a trend of three stars teaming up to great success with the Boston Celtics in 2008 which led to a championship. However, the Miami Heat took the model to the next level when LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers to join Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh and the term “Big 3” was born. Storylines flew everywhere and videos combined with pro wrestling which was just as popular.
The New York Yankees have the same potential ingredient as the Miami Heat by way of bringing back the dominant “Evil Empire” days that irked anyone not down with the Yankees pinstripes.
Believe it or not, MLBbros are the ones who can cause this chemical explosion filling the roles of that NBA superteam.
The Main Attraction: Aaron Judge (Then…LeBron James)
For a team to command the attention of hardcore and casual fans alike, a team needs a superstar whose name transcends past his own team to become the face of the sport. Back then when LeBron James left to “take his talents to South Beach”, he dominated the sport along with the news cycle.
MLBbro Aaron Judge might have been close to leaving the “Big Apple” with contentious contract negotiations, but thanks to his historic power streak over the last few years, Judge is the face of Major League Baseball even though Shohei Ohtani is possibly the corporate global plan.
The Cool Sidekick: Jazz Chisholm (Then Dwyane Wade)
When LeBron came to town, a star had to take a step back but it was clear to everyone that Wade was that dude. With this Yankees team, Jazz Chisholm plays this role to perfection.
Remember the Yankees were in a freefall that got the Orioles back in the division race around the trade deadline. Since Chisholm came into the fold, the Yankees woke up from their slumber and Jazz is all the rage in New York in the field and at the plate.
The X-Factor: Giancarlo Stanton (Then Chris Bosh)
There has been no championship team without the star who quietly fills in the foundation by making timely plays and comes through in the clutch when his name is called.
Even though he doesn’t commend the headlines like the superstars, his teammates know the importance of his presence.
Giancarlo Stanton is quietly carving a Hall of Fame career while still putting baseballs into the seats.
The active leader in home runs just hit his 25th home run as an active player leading 10 seasons.
While Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm are the players who put fans in seats, Stanton will be the glue that keeps the championship chances together next month.
If the Yankees win and the “Big 3” references start in MLB, send the check to MLBbro.com.
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