The 10 must-watch races at season's end

Forget that the season is only 60 games long, because we’re now in the middle of September and that means it’s on. Everything is up for grabs -- division titles, Wild Cards, MVP Awards and batting crowns all come down to these final weeks. And, unless you’re the Dodgers, nothing is set in stone (even though their postseason berth isn’t mathematically clinched), making for some seriously action-packed final weeks of the season.

That means it’s a prime time to be a fan, when we can sit on the couch and endlessly flip between games with incredibly high stakes every second. Forget whatever show you’re streaming, this is the real heart-pounding stuff.

Today, let’s break down the 10 best races you should be keeping an eye on.

1. AL Wild Card

Leaders: Yankees, Astros, Twins, Indians

Chasing: Orioles, Tigers, Mariners

The schadenfreude levels are off the charts here as the Yankees and Astros -- two of the most dominant teams in the league -- suddenly see their postseason dreams in doubt. It didn’t seem possible early in the year, when the Yankees were 16-6 and the Astros so good on paper. Surely they would go on a winning streak in time, right?

Meanwhile, the Twins and Indians have some breathing room as they battle for position in the AL Central and hopefully avoid the Wild Card (more on that later).

But now, the expanded postseason has opened the window a crack, giving some of the most unlikely teams a chance to leap ahead of in the standings and cover themselves in October glory.

After two consecutive 100-loss seasons, the Orioles are suddenly relevant again with Pedro Severino hitting like Matt Wieters was supposed to and Adley Ruschtman might one day.

The Tigers -- just months after drafting first overall -- have called up their top prospects and are letting the kids play meaningful baseball.

And thanks to their own youth movement fueling a late surge, the Mariners could go to the postseason for the first time in nearly a generation.

Depending on how the Orioles’ weekend series against the Yankees go, the standings could look radically different on Monday.

2. NL Wild Card

Leaders: Giants, Marlins

Chasing: Rockies, Brewers, Mets, Reds

Things are even stranger in the NL as two teams expected to be battling for the cellar are instead already in postseason position.

The Giants may be getting some residual even-year magic as Mike Yastrzemski has turned into his grandfather. Were it not for Fernando Tatis Jr. playing just a few hours south, he would be an NL MVP Award candidate.

And then there’s the Marlins, who entered the year with a roster that was pretty anonymous to people outside of South Florida but have made it work. Led by a pitching staff featuring the talents of Sixto Sánchez, Pablo López and Sandy Alcantara -- all 24 or younger -- the team is in place to play meaningful October baseball.

It won’t be easy for these teams to hold on, though. The margin for error is razor-thin with the Rockies, Brewers, Mets and Reds all within a hot weekend of bouncing both these teams out of it and taking a postseason spot.

3. HR Title

Leader: Mike Trout (16)

Chasing: Nelson Cruz, Fernando Tatis Jr. (both tied with 15)

Who do you even root for in this stacked lineup?

There’s the best player in the game, who has never led the league in home runs, but has actually gotten better since returning from paternity leave. I guess Dad Strength is real.

Cruz has found that the easiest way to defeat age is hitting dingers and taking naps. (Turns out, when our grandparents fell asleep on the couch on a Saturday afternoon, it was a strategy.)

And then there’s Tatis, baseball’s most exciting player, who is also a 21-year-old shortstop. Those guys don’t usually lead the league in home runs.

A 20 home run season would put these players on pace for 54 in 162 games, but given the way these guys are swinging it, that may not even be enough.

4. AL CENTRAL

Leader: White Sox

Chasing: Indians, Twins

The White Sox were the trendy team coming into the year, but rarely does that translate into actual on-field success. Thanks to a power-hitting lineup led by Eloy Jiménez and Luis Robert in the outfield, and José Abreu having the best season of his career, Chicago is leading the American League in home runs and is now a step ahead in the Central’s three-team sprint.

Just behind are the Indians, who must have a pitching factory located under the stadium. Corey Kluber gone? So what. Trevor Bauer? Can be replaced. Mike Clevinger traded mid-year? Why not? When Shane Bieber is a Cy Young Award favorite, Zach Plesac is putting up some of the best strikeout-to-walk numbers in history and Tristan McKenzie keeps baffling hitters (despite being slight enough that he disappears from sight when viewed at certain angles).

Last year’s division-winning Twins are no slouches, either. Cruz is leading a Bomba Squad that recently added a healthy Josh Donaldson back into the mix.

Chicago has four-game series with both the Twins and Indians ahead, so this race will only get tighter as the season comes to a close. With each team currently in at least a postseason spot, the stakes aren't that high ... yet. Should any of these three hit a small losing streak, it could get tight very quickly.

5. Batting Title

Leaders: DJ LeMahieu, AL (.355), Trea Turner, NL (.363)

Chasing: Tim Anderson, AL (.350), Nelson Cruz, AL (.343), Donovan Solano, NL (.340), Michael Conforto, NL (.340)

Many thought Tim Anderson’s batting title was a mirage last year due to a seemingly unsustainable BABIP. Instead, he’s just one good game from catching the Yankees’ LeMahieu, who is also going for his second title.

Meanwhile, Turner has gone supernova this year. He’s chased by Conforto and Solano, a 32-year-old utility player having a breakout year. If you like rooting for underdogs, he’s your man.

One dark horse contender to consider: The Orioles’ Jose Iglesias. Generally known for his highlight-reel glove work and not much else, Iglesias has been flirting with .400 this year. He entered Thursday batting .376, though he's currently 24 plate appearances short of qualifying.

6. Triple Crown Watch

There’s one other reason to watch Cruz: He’s got a shot at winning the Triple Crown.

Cruz entered Thursday tied for the AL lead in HR, sixth in RBIs (nine behind Chicago’s Abreu) and third in average.

Given how hot Cruz has been lately, he could close those gaps and be the first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. (The last one before that: Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.)

7. ERA Title

Leader: Shane Bieber, AL (1.25), Jacob deGrom, NL (1.69)

Chasing: Trevor Bauer, NL (1.74), Yu Darvish, NL (1.77), Dallas Keuchel, AL (2.19)

Like deGrom, Bieber was never a top prospect, but has morphed into the complete pitcher who can call upon a plethora of pitches to get batters out. Batters are hitting .216 or lower against his four-seamer, curve, slider, and changeup.

Normally, we’d be on the lookout for whom will claim the strikeout crown, too, but since Bieber is leading Lucas Giolito by 19, that’s almost certainly wrapped up.

In the NL, it's hard to see deGrom losing the title, simply because, well, there's a reason he has back-to-back Cy Young Awards. You already missed one of the must-watch games of the year for the other contenders, though, as Bauer and Darvish faced off on Wednesday night. Bauer emerged victorious in this one with 10 K's in 7 2/3 shutout innings to slide ahead of Darvish for second in the league.

8. 660 home runs

Leader: Willie Mays

Chasing: Albert Pujols

Yes, I know you’re already tuning in to every Angels game to see every breath that Trout takes (when will we get the Dedicated Trout Cam option?), but before Trout was even on our radar, Pujols was the game’s best hitter.

He’s past his prime, but he still knows how to drive a ball with the best of them, and his next home run will tie him with Willie Mays for fifth most in history.

It took Pujols 20 years to reach this point, and who knows how long before the next batter makes a run at the top five.

9. NL EAST

Leader: Braves

Chasing: Phillies, Marlins

No, I don’t know how the Braves are still leading the division. Sure, the lineup is frightening, especially now that Adam Duvall has revealed himself to be the best left fielder in the game. But their pitching staff is currently Max Fried and whomever they find willing and able to throw a few innings that day.

The Phillies are hot on their tails, with Aaron Nola and offseason acquisition Zack Wheeler leading a two-pronged attack in the rotation, and Rhys Hoskins and Bryce Harper creating Philadelphia’s version of the Bash Brothers.

And here, again, are those pesky Marlins. It would be a season to remember if they snuck into the postseason, but if they managed to win the NL East -- in the same year that they lost a game by 20 runs to the Braves -- it might be proof that the computer simulation known as our reality is truly on the fritz.

10. The race for 0.00

Leaders: Jake Diekman, Drew Pomeranz

Two qualified relievers have kept clean sheets in every game they’ve pitched this year, with Diekman having the innings edge over Pomeranz, 15 to 14. Will they still boast of a spotless earned-runs column when the season is over? Sadly, there is no trophy to be given out for the absence of something, but they’ll know in their heart they pulled off something spectacular.

For those wondering, the most innings in a season without allowing an earned run is 26, held by Earl Moore, who pulled it off in 1908. For more modern context, Tyler Olsen pitched 20 shutout innings for the Indians in 2017.