The 10 most intriguing storylines of baseball's second half

With Major League Baseball set to resume action Friday after the All-Star break, we’re already thinking about which second-half storylines will have the game buzzing.

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You know a few of them right away: The Cubs and their plight to break the curse. Whatever the heck is going on with the Mets’ pitching staff. If the Rangers are really the best team in the AL. And how much more does David Ortiz have in the tank?

As part of our midseason analysis series — don’t miss our first-half surprises and disappointments — today The Stew is looking at the most intriguing storylines for the second half. And we’ll start, of course, in Chicago.

WILL THE CUBS GET BACK ON TRACK?
Gone are the days of talking about just how much better the Chicago Cubs are than everybody else. The Cubs have come back down to the Earth. And while a 53-35 record at the break is nothing to cry about, their gusto isn’t what it was back in May. After going 35-15 in the first two months of the season, the Cubs are 18-20 since.

That’s not a shocker. Baseball seasons have their ups and downs, but for these Cubs, with that lineup and that start, anything less than a World Series at this point is a disappointment. So you want a second-half storyline? This is THE second half storyline: Can the Cubs get back on track and finally break the curse. (Mike Oz)

CAN DAVID ORTIZ GO OUT LIKE PEYTON MANNING?
Whether David Ortiz can go out on top like Peyton Manning depends on two things: himself, and the Boston Red Sox. Ortiz is certainly doing his part. At 40, he’s having his best season in years, hitting .332/.426/.682. He leads his fellow Red Sox in homers with 22. Which brings us to the second part of the equation, the Red Sox. Though he can try, Ortiz can’t win a World Series alone. But the rest of his teammates are poised to help him get there. The starting lineup is full of young, talented players, three of whom were just at the All-Star Game with Ortiz.

They’ve got the offense, they’ve got the defense, but the biggest question is pitching. Without Steven Wright and Rick Porcello performing so well in the first half, the Red Sox could be in Yankees territory in the AL East instead of being bunched at the top with Toronto. But if David Price can find his form again, and Ortiz can keep hitting like someone 10 years younger, why not the Red Sox? (Liz Roscher)

ARE THE GIANTS EXPERIENCING EVEN-YEAR MAGIC AGAIN?
Surprise, surprise: it’s an even year and the San Francisco Giants are making a strong case that they’re the best team in baseball. With World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014, it would be fitting to make it four triumphs in six years with another championship parade in 2016. The Cubs, Nationals and Dodgers appear to be their biggest challengers in the National League, but the Giants could very well be the favorites when October rolls around.

What’s not to like? Offseason signings Johnny Cueto and Jeff Samardzija have stepped in beautifully behind ace Madison Bumgarner in the rotation. Buster Posey and Brandon Belt lead a deep lineup while Brandon Crawford anchors what’s perhaps the big leagues’ best defense. It all adds up to make them legitimate World Series contenders, which is exactly what we’ve come to expect from San Francisco in a year that ends in an even number. (Israel Fehr)

WHAT’S CLAYTON KERSHAW’S STATUS?
At 51-40, the Los Angeles Dodgers are in tremendous shape heading into the second half of the season. Not only that, but somehow Clayton Kershaw is on pace to post his best season ever. That is, if he can stay healthy.

Kershaw went on the disabled list due to a back injury just prior to the All-Star break. He’s expected to miss just a few starts, but back issues are concerning, even if it’s something he’s dealt with before. The Dodgers pitching depth is better now that Brandon McCarthy and Hyun-jin Ryu are back, but no one is replacing Kershaw. As long as he’s able to return quickly, the Dodgers will be in good shape. If not, well, that’s not a scenario most baseball fans even want to consider. (Chris Cwik)

WILL THE ROYALS MISS THE POSTSEASON?
Hit hard by injuries in the first half, the reigning World Series champion Kansas City Royals are facing an uphill climb to return to the postseason. Mike Moustakas is out for the year. Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain have missed time. Now Wade Davis is on the DL. As a result the Royals are in a logjam behind the first-place Cleveland Indians in the AL Central and currently not in a wild-card spot.

We’ve learned the last two years it’s not smart to count them out, but this won’t be easy. The Indians have a seven-game lead in the division and Kansas City is 4 1/2 games out of the wild-card with three teams ahead of it and a couple more right behind. The Royals’ great run might be close to ending. Just don’t expect them to go down without a fight. (Israel Fehr)

WHICH TEAM WILL MAKE A SECOND-HALF SURGE?
Given their April, it’s a miracle that the Houston Astros are only five and a half games out of first place in the AL West. They went 7-17 in April before rebounding to more respectable records in May and June. Plus, their roster is full of players who are poised to rebound in the second half. Marwin Gonzalez, Carlos Correa, and George Springer are capable of more than they’ve been showing, and even a little more production from them could make a huge difference.

But of everyone on the Astros, starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel is most due for a rebound. The 2015 Cy Young winner is carrying a 4.80 ERA, which is nearly double what it was at the end of 2015. But since mid-June, Keuchel has looked a lot more like himself. If he’s back to normal, the AL better watch out, because the Astros are coming for them. (Lis Roscher)

WILL THE YANKEES BECOME SELLERS?
As we move toward the trade deadline, the most intriguing team might be the New York Yankees. No, not because we expect them to trade for a superstar. Because perhaps they’ll find themselves in an uncommon-for-them position: trade-deadline sellers. The Yankees sit even at 44-44 coming out of the break. They’re 7.5 back in the AL East, which isn’t a death sentence, but isn’t particularly encouraging either.

So what will the Yankees do? That’s still not clear — even in their own front office, from the sound of things. But if they decide to sell, that could mean teams that seek relief pitching can get Aroldis Chapman and/or Andrew Miller. It means Carlos Beltran could find himself on yet another team too. (Mike Oz)

ARE THE MARLINS ACTUALLY GOOD?
At 47-41, the Marlins sure look like a team that’s ready to compete for a postseason spot. Though they sit 6 1/2 games behind the NL East-leading Washington Nationals, they’re currently tied with the Mets for the second wild-card spot in the NL. They also figure to be a more dangerous team offensively in the second half. Dee Gordon is due back from his 80-game suspension in two weeks. Not too mention Giancarlo Stanton appears to be completely over his miserable six-week slump.

Those two factors combined with guys like Marcell Ozuna, Justin Bour and J.T. Realmuto enjoying breakout seasons and a return to All-Star form for ace Jose Fernandez are all promising signs. Still though, the question remains: Are they actually good? The jury is still out on that, because Miami is far from a complete team. They have strong parts. They have a better bullpen with the addition of Fernando Rodney. But to truly take a step forward into the postseason conversation, they’ll probably need to get Fernandez some help in the rotation. (Mark Townsend)

ARE THE RANGERS REALLY THE BEST TEAM IN THE AL?
The Rangers incredible depth helped them weather injuries last season, and now it’s contributing to their excellent record. Shin-Soo Choo and Josh Hamilton were lost early, but Nomar Mazara stepped in and has played like a Rookie of the Year candidate. Former first-overall prospect Jurickson Profar is contributing, but has been limited to a platoon role based on how well other Rangers have played.

On top of that, the powerful Joey Gallo still sits in the minors. He’s joined by excellent outfielder Lewis Brinson. Both players could be put together in a package for a standout player who can help the club right now. Basically, the Rangers are already good and can still make a blockbuster move if they really wants. That’s a tremendous spot to be in heading into the second half. (Chris Cwik)

WILL THE METS PITCHING ROTATION HOLD UP?
As the old saying goes, you can never have enough pitching. The New York Mets are being reminded how true that statement can be. They’ve already lost Matt Harvey to season-ending surgery to address thoracic outlet syndrome. They also know that both Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz are dealing with bone spurs in their pitching elbows, and on top of that Syndergaard missed the All-Star game with arm fatigue. That does not provide a promising outlook, because even if both finish the season they won’t be one-hundred percent and it’ll still be an issue into the offseason.

The Mets were hoping Zack Wheeler would be back for the second half, but he’s suffered a setback in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. His return this season is looking more doubtful than questionable, so that leaves Jacob deGrom and 43-year-old All-Star Bartolo Colon as the healthiest arms. That could leave the Mets in a vulnerable position as they chase the Washington Nationals and battle for a wild card spot. (Mark Townsend)

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Mike Oz is the editor of Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz

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