As the second month of the 2021 season nears its conclusion, the National League West remains one of the most competitive divisions at the top.

The Giants, Padres and Dodgers continue to battle for the lead, and the race could stay tight all year. Meanwhile, the D-backs and Rockies have endured some recent struggles -- and injury woes -- but each has talented young players who could help lead a turnaround over the next four months, especially as the teams get healthier.

However, each of these teams -- regardless of its position in the NL West -- has questions that need to be answered if it wants to stay at the top of the division or work its way up there. For some, these could lead to crucial decisions that will be made over the course of the summer and into the second half of the season.

Here's a look at one looming question facing each of the five NL West teams in late May.

D-backs: Where do the young players best fit?
The D-backs have had more than their fair share of injuries this year, with key players like outfielders Ketel Marte and Kole Calhoun, right-hander Zac Gallen and first baseman Christian Walker among those who have missed substantial time. The results have led to them fading from contention, and while they wait for their players to get healthy, the D-backs should use the time to find out about some of their top youngsters.

Pavin Smith should get plenty of at-bats, even against left-handers, to help in his development, while the club should also figure out what the best spot for Daulton Varsho is going forward. Can Andrew Young play second base? Where can Josh Rojas fit? Getting answers to questions like that can help the organization moving forward, both this year and in the future. -- Steve Gilbert

Dodgers: Can someone else emerge out of the bullpen?
Kenley Jansen, Blake Treinen and Victor González have been consistent options out of the bullpen for the Dodgers, but the team is still waiting for somebody else to step up in high-leverage situations. Corey Knebel was filling in nicely before he was lost for months with a lat strain. Dennis Santana has gotten opportunities, but his strike-throwing ability remains a problem. Garrett Cleavinger was pitching well, but he’ll miss about two weeks with left forearm inflammation. Brusdar Graterol missed time, had an inconsistent return and then went down with right forearm tightness.

The two pitchers who could help elevate the Dodgers’ bullpen to another level are Joe Kelly and David Price. Kelly missed the first six weeks of the season, but he’s starting to settle in now, having tossed a scoreless inning on both Saturday and Sunday, marking the first time he had done so on back-to-back nights since last August. Price returned from injury on Monday and can be a big piece moving forward.

The Dodgers could also choose to test the trade market for help. Regardless of who it is, Los Angeles is going to need another consistent reliever behind its big three. -- Juan Toribio

Giants: How will the bullpen issues be addressed?
The most glaring concern for the Giants has been their shaky bullpen, which entered Thursday with a 4.28 ERA and 12 blown saves, one fewer than the Dodgers for the most in the Majors. Tyler Rogers (0.70 ERA) has been solid, but San Francisco needs other relievers to step up and help solidify the back end of the bullpen.

Jake McGee, Matt Wisler, Jarlin García and Camilo Doval have hit rough patches early this year, but Caleb Baragar and Zack Littell have looked promising and could begin to factor more prominently into the late-inning mix. The relief corps could get an additional boost once José Álvarez (right ankle sprain) returns from the injured list.

If the group continues to struggle, the Giants could act more aggressively to upgrade their bullpen, given the competitive nature of the NL West. They already tried to bolster their right-handed relief depth by claiming Trevor Hildenberger off waivers from the Mets and optioning the Bay Area native to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday.

Pitching prospects Gregory Santos and Kervin Castro are also on the 40-man roster, but Santos struggled in his first three Major League appearances and Castro has logged an 11.25 ERA in his first five outings with the River Cats. The young fireballers could still help down the line, but they might need a bit more development in Sacramento before they’re ready to contribute in the big leagues. -- Maria Guardado

Padres: What happens at the back of the rotation?
Dinelson Lamet’s buildup from last September’s right UCL strain has been a painstakingly slow process. He’s thrown no more than two innings in any of his four outings, and on Sunday, he made his first career relief appearance.

The Padres have divulged little about the long-term plan for Lamet, but they’re clearly treating him with caution. Meanwhile, Ryan Weathers is a 21-year-old rookie who stands zero chance of coming anywhere close to a regular starter’s workload this season. San Diego will treat him with care, too.

So what does that mean for the back end of the rotation? Two things: It means Chris Paddack is going to be asked to step up; and it means MacKenzie Gore, San Diego's No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, might soon be asked to do the same thing. -- AJ Cassavell

Rockies: How young can this team get?
Manager Bud Black has already pivoted the season toward a high-pressure, on-the-job training session. Within the past week, he turned multiple tight situations over to rookie right-handed relievers Justin Lawrence and Jordan Sheffield, who previously had been in low-leverage roles. Injuries to C.J. Cron, Matt Adams and Charlie Blackmon (for a few days) meant Yonathan Daza and Connor Joe had good runs of starting opportunities.

With the roster getting healthier, expect Daza and Joe -- and add Alan Trejo to that mix -- to be given key late-game at-bats that sometimes will work out and sometimes won't. And the regular lineup is not exactly a bunch of graybeards. The regular rotation does not have a 30-year-old, and top pitching prospect Ryan Rolison is at Triple-A Albuquerque and on the fast track.

"We're going to learn as we go with this group," Black said. "If we do make some moves to bring certain guys, it could get younger." -- Thomas Harding