The 2014 MLB season has given us plenty of interesting storylines.
Chicago White Sox rookie Jose Abreu is filling up the stat sheet on a nightly basis. New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka took the American League by storm before landing on the disabled list.
Multiple clubs, including the Texas Rangers, Tampa Bay Rays and Arizona Diamondbacks, fell victim to a rash of injuries that largely ended their seasons before they had a chance to get started. And who can forget the action that went down at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline?
There are many more, of course, but a larger point remains: Major League Baseball is as intriguing as ever.
And it’s not over.
The final weeks of the season produce their own set of talking points as teams fight for a division title or a wild-card spot.
So what are the biggest storylines of the pennant race? And who are some of the most important X-factors on contending ballclubs?
Let’s take a look.