The 2024 MLB season is just days away and there are many storylines to watch this year — maybe more than ever.

There are clear contenders for the World Series title but some teams always come out of nowhere to compete. Last year is a perfect example with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Texas Rangers.

Below, check out five major storylines to watch over the course of the year.

4. Most-Anticipated Prospect Class?

Each year, there are many players that make their Major League debuts but this could be a special year for prospects.

It begins with the No. 1 prospect in the league, Jackson Holliday. He is expected to takeover as shortstop in Baltimore right away. Wyatt Langford and Henry Davis are other Top-Five picks that are expected to take the next step this season.And of course, Paul Skenes.

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected the LSU right-hander with the first pick in the latest MLB Draft. Skenes will begin the season in the minors but should work his way up to the big leagues quickly.

3. Unsigned Free Agents & Impact On Next Year

There have been many free agents that have remained unsigned or waited until March to get a deal done. The question is, will this become normal or was it a weak class?

Blake Snell and J.D. Martinez waited until right before Opening Day to sign. As of now, Jordan Montgomery is still without a team for 2024. We have seen stars wait to sign to get a better deal but never this long. Both Manny Machado and Bryce Harper signed in February back in 2019 but this is a new level of patience by players.

Next year, the free agent class is far deeper. It begins with Juan Soto and continues with Pete Alonso, Max Fried, Corbin Burnes, among others. It will be interesting to see where the remaining free agents land and if this impacts strategies for next year.

2. Is Juan Soto the Missing Piece?

The New York Yankees have not won a World Series title since 2009. For a franchise with 27 titles, 15 years is a long drought. The Yankees made a blockbuster trade for Juan Soto this offseason. He will enter free agency next year but for now, he will play in the Bronx with Aaron Judge.

After a title drought for the Yankees, is Soto the missing piece?

It was an interesting offseason in New York. The Yankees went to get Soto but chose not to make other additions to improve the team. Alex Verdugo and Marcus Stroman were additions but do not move the needle much when fighting for a World Series. There were moves to be made, including Corbin Burners or Dylan Cease in a deal or adding Josh Hader, but New York will likely leave some room in order to persuade Soto to stay.

That is a story for another day. This season, there are many question marks. It begins with health as Gerrit Cole is already dealing with an injury. DJ LeMaheiu will miss Opening Day and Judge continues to have his own injury history. At full strength, Soto might be the missing piece but all will have to go right.

The bullpen remains a weakness and there are many questions in the rotation, especially without Cole.

1. World Series or Bust for the Dodgers

This has been one of the biggest questions during the offseason, is it World Series or bust for the Los Angeles Dodgers? The answer is simple; yes.

It was a slow offseason for Los Angeles last season. There were already All-Stars in place with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman so the team was ready to contend. Now, throw Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto into the mix. The Dodgers spent over $1 billion in combined contracts this offseason. Tyler Glasnow also received an extension after being acquired in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays.

There is no team with more hype than the Dodgers this season. Los Angeles made the moves necessary to win and now have a team that is more loaded than 2023. There is no such thing as a perfect team but the Dodgers have a star-studded lineup that should win over 100 games once again.

If the Dodgers do not win a title this year, it will likely be viewed as a disappointment. This is the standard that the front office has set with these new additions.