7 second-half storylines to keep your eye on

Now that a thrilling All-Star Game is behind us, it's time to look ahead to what promises to be a tremendous second half of the regular season leading up to October.

With a two-way superstar continuing to do things we've never seen before, a master craftsman at the plate who has a legitimate chance to hit .400 for the season, several surprise contenders vying for the postseason and much more, the stretch run will be filled with storylines to watch the rest of the way.

Here's a look at seven second half storylines bound to captivate the baseball world in the months ahead:

What will Shohei do next ... and where?

Angels two-way sensation Shohei Ohtani just continues to dazzle us with his dominance on the mound and at the plate, even after it seemed he couldn't possibly top his own amazing feats from the past. In 2021, he was named American League MVP thanks to an unprecedented combination of success as a pitcher and a hitter. But this season, he's been even better, especially at the plate.

Ohtani enters the second half of the 2023 campaign leading the Majors with 32 home runs, six triples, a .663 slugging percentage, a 1.050 OPS, a 182 OPS+ and 226 total bases. In other words, he's been the best hitter in baseball while simultaneously posting a 3.32 ERA and a 32 percent strikeout rate in 17 starts on the mound.

With the Angels reeling, losing nine of their final 10 games prior to the All-Star break, the question surrounding Ohtani beyond what he'll do next on the field is: Where? With the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline less than three weeks away and Ohtani scheduled to be a free agent following this season, will the Halos deal him? Either way, Ohtani figures to land a record contract this offseason.

Will Arraez rise to the occasion and do the unthinkable?

Nobody has hit .400 since the legendary Ted Williams finished the 1941 season with a batting average of .406. A handful have come close, particularly George Brett in 1980 (.390) and Tony Gwynn in 1994 (.394).

Given the plethora of pitchers that hitters are faced with in today's game, as well as the increased velocity and assortment of pitches they see, many may have thought .400 was unreachable. But then Luis Arraez came along, and he's not only vying to win back-to-back batting titles after winning the crown with the Twins last year, he's looking become the first man to hit .400 over a full season in 82 years.

Arraez enters the second half batting .383, and he already has three five-hit games to his name this season. He also leads the Majors with 126 hits and a .434 on-base percentage.

Will he do it? Will he finish the season over .400? We'll just have to watch and see.

Will Acuña make power-speed history?

Entering the 2023 season, we knew Ronald Acuña Jr. was a threat to join the 40-homer/40-steal club. After all, prior to injuries derailing him, the Braves' superstar outfielder launched 41 home runs and swiped 37 bases in 2019.

But halfway through this season, Acuña has already topped that steal total and we're wondering whether he'll become the first player in AL/NL history to hit 40 or more homers and steal 50 or more bases in the same year.

In fact, at his current pace, we could be looking at the first 40/70 or 40/80 player when it's all said and done. And Acuña is doing all this after tearing his right ACL just before the All-Star break in 2021. He said on MLB Network prior to this year's Midsummer Classic that it took him two years to get back to 100 percent. That would be, well, now.

There's no telling what we'll see in the second half from the greatest power-speed threat in the game today. One thing is for certain: it's going to be exciting to follow Acuña and his powerhouse Braves the rest of the way.

When will Judge return?

Since reigning AL MVP Aaron Judge injured his toe while making a spectacular catch and crashing through the outfield fence at Dodger Stadium on June 3, only two teams have scored fewer runs than the Yankees' 123 -- the Twins (116) and the Royals (114). So the question on everyone's minds, especially the Yankees' minds, is: When will Judge be back in the lineup?

That's a big unknown right now. But if the Yanks are going to get the "Bombers" back into "Bronx Bombers," they'll need their captain back soon in what is perhaps the toughest division in baseball. Entering the second half, New York is eight games back of the AL East-leading Rays and one game out of an AL Wild Card spot.

Will the Reds keep Cruzin'? What about the other surprise teams?

The 2023 season so far has featured many surprises, perhaps none greater than some of the teams that found themselves in playoff position at the All-Star break.

The Orioles head into the second half 19 games over .500 and just two games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East. The Rangers, meanwhile, lead the AL West after a first half in which they lost ace Jacob deGrom for the season.

In the NL, the Marlins have won 59 games and occupy the top NL Wild Card spot, and the D-backs are in a virtual tie for first place in the NL West with the Dodgers. The Reds have shocked the baseball world by finishing the first half in first place in the NL Central.

A common thread among these clubs is young, exciting stars seizing the reins. None is more exciting than Cincinnati's Elly De La Cruz, who has electrified the baseball world with his incredible power and speed. In just his 15th MLB game, he hit for the cycle, becoming the first Reds player to do so in 34 years. Then, just before the All-Star break, he stole second base, third and home in the span of three pitches.

De La Cruz is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to young, rising stars fueling improbable runs for their teams. There's NL Rookie of the Year Award favorite Corbin Carroll in Arizona, All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman and rookie infielder Gunnar Henderson in Baltimore, and All-Star third baseman Josh Jung in Texas, among others.

What's next for this disappointing trio?

The Mets, Padres and Cardinals were all postseason teams last fall, and coming into the 2023 campaign, many projections had all three back in the postseason this year. As things stand heading into the second half, things aren't looking good for any of them.

Despite a record payroll, the Mets find themselves a whopping 18 1/2 games out of first place in the NL East and seven games back of a Wild Card spot. The Padres, meanwhile, are 8 1/2 games back in the NL West and six games out of a Wild Card spot. The Cardinals have been the worst of the lot, 14 games under .500 to open the second half and 11 games out of a playoff slot.

What happens next for these clubs? New York and St. Louis have shown indications that they may be in at least a partial sell mode with the Aug. 1 Trade Deadline approaching, while San Diego hasn't shown its hand just yet.

What will the Trade Deadline have in store?

There are countless examples of players who were acquired before the Trade Deadline and ended up helping their clubs down the stretch, even winning it all in some cases. Look no further than the Braves in 2021, when Atlanta acquired Adam Duvall, eventual NL Championship Series MVP Eddie Rosario and eventual World Series MVP Jorge Soler that July.

What will we be saying when we look back at this year's Trade Deadline? Some of the prominent names that have come up in trade rumors include starting pitchers Marcus Stroman, Shane Bieber, Jack Flaherty, Jordan Montgomery, Lucas Giolito, Lance Lynn, Eduardo Rodriguez and Michael Lorenzen.

On the position player side, there is intrigue involving the foundering Cardinals and Padres -- might Paul Goldschmidt, Nolan Arenado or even Juan Soto be available?

From the fast approaching Trade Deadline to the potential for history-making performances, the second half of the season offers fascinating storylines galore. While we won't know how it all shakes out until the final pitch of the World Series, it's going to be incredibly exciting to see it unfold.