MLB storylines that will shape the rest of the 2024 season - ESPN

The 2024 MLB season has had a bit of a strange ebb and flow to it. On June 15, at about the 70-game mark, four teams were on a 105-win pace: The New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies, while the Los Angeles Dodgers were just under a 100-win pace. That's been typical in recent years; in each full season since 2017, at least three teams have won 100 games.

However, since mid-June, the records for those five teams have dropped off quite a bit, with only one playing above .500 baseball:

Dodgers: 26-20
Orioles: 24-25
Guardians: 25-25
Phillies: 22-26
Yankees: 20-26

All five clubs remain in strong playoff position, but none are on pace for 100 wins anymore. The last season without a 100-win team was 2015. And the four best teams since June 15 have been the Arizona Diamondbacks, San Diego Padres, Houston Astros and New York Mets.

It all sets up for a frenetic finish: Who are the real powerhouses? Who are the pretenders? And which teams are just trying to sneak into the playoffs, where anything can happen?

Let's check in on some of the key storylines to watch for the rest of the season.

Some of them, anyway. The American League East has been a battle all season between the Orioles and Yankees, and it still looks likely to go down to the final weekend. The Milwaukee Brewers have held the National League Central lead since May 9 and have extended what was a 3.5-game lead on July 13 to a 7.5-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Phillies have had as much as a 10-game lead over the Atlanta Braves and 17.5 over the Mets, but those margins now sit at 7.5 over the Braves and eight over the Mets. The Phillies are still comfortable, but it's close enough that they need to find some of that