Taking a look at top storylines around the major leagues

As the Orioles and Nationals put the finishing touches on disappointing seasons, here is what else is going on around baseball:

* The Orioles were shut out three times in Boston over the weekend, essentially ending their slim chance for a wild card. Even though the Orioles have dominated the Red Sox since the end of 2011, the takeaway is that Boston's building block players - Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Rusney Castillo, Xander Bogaerts, Henry Owens and Blake Swihart - are going to be a force next year, especially if the Red Sox add rotation and bullpen help.

* The Astros, a surprise contender with a tired bullpen, are fighting for a postseason spot after leading the American League West for 139 days. The Angels have led the division for 21 days and the Rangers have been in first place since Sept. 15. ... The Astros have played 71 one- and two-run games, so that explains their bullpen fatigue. ... The Angels bullpen has switched to a committee format for the final week because closer Huston Street (groin strain) and setup man Joe Smith (ankle sprain) are out. Manager Mike Scioscia says he needs all the arms he can get. ... Texas, by the way, is in great shape in the bullpen, thanks to the additions via trade of Sam Dyson (Marlins) and Jake Diekman (Phillies) before the July 31 trade deadline.

* The Astros play the Mariners and Diamondbacks to finish the season and the series with the Diamondbacks is in Arizona, meaning the Astros will be going for a postseason berth without the use of their DH. Having contending AL playing the final week without their full roster is the biggest drawback to 15-team leagues that require an interleague game every day. ... Meanwhile, the Angels play the A's and Rangers while the Twins play Cleveland and Kansas City. In addition to the Angels, Texas plays Detroit.

* No doubt the Yankees, the No. 1 wild card team in the AL, are pulling for any team other than the Astros to win the second wild card. That's because they don't want to face Houston lefty Dallas Keuchel in the one-game playoff, given that Keuchel has beaten them twice this season, once in Houston and another time in New York, with a 0.00 ERA, 21 strikeouts and a walk in 16 innings.

* Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta has a 0.89 ERA in his last 18 starts and has pitched his team into the postseason, but he's still not favored to be the Dodgers' Zack Greinke in the NL Cy Young race. If the award were for the most dominate second-half pitcher, then Arrieta would win. But Greinke has been more consistent throughout the season and still has a better ERA.

* Cincinnati's Joey Votto is trying to join Ted Williams in 1941 as the only players to produce a .377 average with a .554 on-base percentage and 1.214 OPS in either half of the season since the start of the All-Star Game in 1933. The 1941 season was the year Williams hit .406, the last player to hit better than .400. ... Also, Votto walked Monday in the first inning at Nats Park, giving him 45 consecutive games of reaching base, three short of Pete Rose's club record in 1978.

* Speaking of Rose, the all-time hits leader has met with Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, asking him to lift his lifetime ban. The good news is that Manfred said he's reach a decision in three months. In 2002, when Rose had applied to commissioner Bud Selig, the commissioner took 13 years to decide

* The Pirates are chasing the Cardinals in the National League Central after picking up relievers Joe Blanton and Joakim Soria, third baseman Aramis Ramirez and starter J.A. Happ, a 32-year-old lefty. They've all done well, but Happ is the most interesting story: He had a 4.64 ERA with Seattle when the Mariners traded him to Pittsburgh. Happ's ERA with the Pirates is 2.28.

* After four consecutive seasons of 90-plus losses, the Twins have meaningful games during the final week. Their top prospects - Byron Buxton, Aaron Hicks, Eddie Rosario and Miguel Sano - are making strides, but the rookie pitcher who came out of nowhere to help them is Tyler Duffey, who has a 3.14 ERA in nine starts. His best pitch is a curveball.

* Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer got a career-high 13th hit Monday in a year that's been a good hitting year for pitchers, especially for home runs.