10 exciting stat races to follow down the stretch

We're down to about one month remaining in the regular season, and all eyes will be on the postseason races down the stretch. But there are also some exciting stat races to follow, including the possibility of the first National League Triple Crown winner in nearly 90 years.

With the calendar on the verge of flipping to September, here's a look at 10 exciting stat races to watch as the regular season winds down.

1) NL home runs
Contenders: Shohei Ohtani, 42 (LAD); Marcell Ozuna, 37 (ATL)

As he chases the unprecedented 50-homer/50-steal season, Ohtani has built a significant lead in the home run department over Ozuna. Ohtani has launched 10 home runs in August, including three in his past six games. But Ozuna is certainly capable of going on a home run binge of his own, which makes this a race to watch over the final month of the regular season. Both players could conceivably compete for the Triple Crown in the NL as well, an achievement not realized on the Senior Circuit since 1937.

2) NL RBIs
Contenders: Ozuna, 98 (ATL); Ohtani, 95 (LAD); Alec Bohm, 89 (PHI); Willy Adames, 88 (MIL); Teoscar Hernández, 87 (LAD)

This race is a much closer one at the moment between Ozuna and Ohtani, with just three RBIs separating the two sluggers. Once again, these are the two leaders in a Triple Crown category as we near the final month of the regular season, and it will be fun to watch down the home stretch. Bohm, Adames and Ohtani’s Dodgers teammate Hernández aren’t out of the picture, either.

3) NL batting average
Contenders: Ozuna, .308 (ATL); Luis Arraez, .307 (SD); Trea Turner, .303 (PHI); Ketel Marte, .298 (AZ); Ohtani, .292 (LAD)

With a 4-for-5 performance on Wednesday night, Arraez temporarily leapfrogged Ozuna in the NL batting title race. But he fell back to .307 with a hitless game in four at-bats on Thursday. While there are two players within five points of him, Ozuna is currently in the best Triple Crown position if he can connect for some homers before Ohtani potentially runs away with the NL home run title.

4) NL wins
Contenders: Chris Sale, 15 (ATL); Dylan Cease, 12 (SD); Aaron Nola, 12 (PHI); Zack Wheeler, 12 (PHI); Sonny Gray, 12 (STL); Colin Rea, 12 (MIL)

With another superb outing on Wednesday, Sale picked up his 15th win to tie Tarik Skubal for the MLB lead. There are several starters within striking distance, but it’s Sale’s title to lose heading into September as the veteran left-hander seeks the first Cy Young Award of his 14-year career at age 35.

5) NL ERA
Contenders: Sale, 2.58 (ATL); Wheeler, 2.74 (PHI); Hunter Greene, 2.83 (CIN)

Sale is also at the top of the list in the NL ERA category, but Wheeler -- particularly the way he’s been pitching recently -- has a great chance to catch him. Greene is hurt, so it would likely take Sale and Wheeler stumbling for the young Reds flamethrower to have a shot at an ERA title, and that only if he can return to pitch before the end of the regular season.

6) NL strikeouts
Contenders: Cease, 197 (SD); Sale, 197 (ATL)

This race is a dead heat between two contenders who likely will be neck and neck all the way down to the wire. Each has a strikeout rate above 30% -- Cease is at 30.6% and Sale is at 32.4% -- so this should be one of the most exciting stat races to keep an eye on as the regular season winds down.

7) AL wins
Contenders: Tarik Skubal, 15 (DET); Seth Lugo, 14 (KC); Carlos Rodón, 14 (NYY); José Berríos, 13 (TOR); Grayson Rodriguez, 13 (BAL); Framber Valdez, 13 (HOU); Brayan Bello, 12 (BOS); Corbin Burnes, 12 (BAL); Kevin Gausman, 12 (TOR); Luis Gil, 12 (NYY); Pablo López, 12 (MIN); Bailey Ober, 12 (MIN)

Sale has a bit of a cushion with 15 wins in the NL, but the same figure is just one better than multiple starters tied for second place in the AL. Skubal, currently viewed as the Cy Young favorite, will need to continue to notch the victories the rest of the way in order to hold off Lugo, Rodón and others.

8) AL strikeouts
Contenders: Skubal, 193 (DET); Cole Ragans, 187 (KC); Garrett Crochet, 180 (CWS)

Skubal also has a narrow lead in the strikeouts department, giving him a legitimate chance at winning the AL Triple Crown among pitchers (wins, ERA and strikeouts). But he’ll again have to hold off some stiff competition with Ragans (29% strikeout rate) and Crochet (34.2%).

9) AL stolen bases
Contenders: José Caballero, 37 (TB); David Hamilton, 33 (BOS); Maikel Garcia, 33 (KC); Jarren Duran, 32 (BOS); José Ramírez, 32 (CLE)

Even with Ohtani stealing bases at a high rate, Elly De La Cruz has the NL stolen base crown all but wrapped up with his 61 steals. But the AL stolen base title is very much in play. With two steals against the Mariners last Monday, Caballero gave himself a little breathing room in the race, and Boston’s David Hamilton was recently placed on the 10-day injured list with a left index finger fracture. So it’s Caballero’s to lose, but Hamilton’s teammate, Duran, is certainly capable of swiping a few bags in a short window, as are Ramírez and Garcia.

10) AL triples
Contenders: Duran, 13 (BOS); Bobby Witt Jr., 11 (KC)

Witt has already equaled his triples total from last season, which led the Major Leagues. But while the young superstar shortstop of the Royals is having his finest all-around season yet, Duran is having a breakout campaign of his own. Duran's 13 triples don’t make him a lock for the MLB lead when it’s all said and done (the D-backs’ Corbin Carroll has 12), but with his speed and the type of year he’s having, he’s got a great shot.