Area baseball fans may be focused on the Pittsburgh Pirates and with good reason, what with the team’s current nine-game winning streak and ownership of the best record in baseball at 51-30.

But there are many interesting storylines throughout the Major Leagues. Here are just a few:

Baltimore’s Chris Davis leads both leagues with 31 home runs, six more than Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, who is second with 25.

Many thought last season was a breakout year for Davis, who hit 33 round-trippers and batted .270 in 2012, but those numbers pale in comparison to what he is on pace for this season.

The six-year pro is batting .332 with 80 RBIs and 60 runs scored.

Along with Manny Machado, Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy, Nick Markakis and former Bucco Nate McLouth, Davis is part of one of, if not the most lethal lineup in baseball.

The Orioles’ bats have carried the team for the most part, evidenced by Jason Hammel’s 7-4 record despite an ERA of 5.09.

Where would the L.A. Dodgers be without Yasiel Puig?

The rookie made his Major League debut June 3 and has batted .436 since then, adding seven home runs, 16 RBIs and 19 runs.

One oddity of his effort so far at the plate is that he’s only drawn four walks in 101 at-bats. But manager Don Mattingly will be happy to overlook that if he continues to hit at this torrid pace.

Los Angeles has gone 15-11 since Puig’s emergence, but still occupies the cellar in the NL West with a 38-43 record. It would be even worse off without Puig.

Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer is a perfect 12-0 with a 3.10 ERA and 131 strikeouts.

He had put together two solid campaigns before this year, going a combined 31-16 in 2011 and 2012, but has a chance to turn in a season for the ages.

The Tigers are 13-3 overall in Scherzer’s starts and he has worked at least seven innings in 10 of his last 12 starts. Manager Jim Leyland has to be loving Scherzer’s ability to eat up innings.

Not only does St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina handle a pitching staff as well as any backstop in the game, but he also is a major threat at the plate. The veteran, who has spent all 10 of his Major League seasons with the Cardinals, is batting an NL-leading .345. He has worked hard to better himself at the plate. In 2006, his batting average was just .216.

Molina’s name has been thrown around as a possible dark horse in the NL MVP voting.

Just one point behind Molina for the NL lead in batting average is Colorado’s Michael Cuddyer, who currently owns a 27-game hitting streak.

Through his first 12 seasons, Cuddyer proved to be a decent hitter, managing a .284 average in both 2006 and 2011 with Minnesota, but his .344 average is a big reason why the Rockies are in the thick of the NL West race.

Derek Pyda is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.