With the MLB regular season coming to a close in a little over a month, the playoff picture is heating up in both the American and National League. There are also some notable records that can be broken by the end of the season. Those records include the most saves by a reliever in a season, most strikeouts by a hitter in a season, and most home runs by a team in a season.

Each of the three should be watched until the final days as each is on pace to be so close to happening that it may occur on the final day of the regular season.

Saves record, season

  • Edwin Diaz, 50 in 131 games
  • Record: Francisco Rodriguez, 62 in 2008

Diaz has recorded an average of one save per 2.62 games that the Mariners have played. That puts him on a pace to end with 61.8 saves, which rounds up to tie Rodriguez.

The 24-year-old Diaz had 12 saves in the month of June which is also how many saves he is currently behind Rodriguez. With a little more than a month of the regular season remaining, a chance remains of the record being broken.

The Athletic wrote about Díaz’s quick ascension into becoming the dominant closer that he currently is.

Team home run record

  • Yankees 212 in 131 games
  • Record: Mariners 264 in 1997

The Yankees are currently averaging slightly less than 1.62 home runs per game. They are on pace to finish with 262.2 for the year, which would leave them just short of the Mariners’ record that was established 21 years ago.

Seeing sluggers Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez return to action soon would go a long way in helping the Yankees approach the record. They already have six players with at least 20 homers and nine with at least 11.

MLB.com recently had an article on Luke Voit who has helped the Yankees stay near the home run record pace. Acquired by the team in late July, Voit hit three total homers last Friday and Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.

Most strikeouts by hitter in season

  • Yoan Moncada, 183 in 131 games
  • Mark Reynolds, 223 in 2009

Moncada has struck out approximately 1.4 times for each game the White Sox have played thus far on the year. He is currently on pace to strike out 226 times for the season, which is slightly more than the 223 times Mark Reynolds struck out in 2009.

The 23-year-old Moncada has 53 strikeouts in 34 games since the All-Star break (average of 1.56 per game) so he has not seen his strikeout rate decrease as the season has gone along. He has struck out twice in each of the White Sox last two games.