As we close the books on a thrilling 2023 — one that had so much going on, it seems like decades since everyone was all worried about the new rule changes — we turn the calendar, of course, to ’24. Not all the dust has settled, considering we haven’t gotten all these free agents signed yet. But some of the big names have found new homes, and many storylines have already emerged. The ’23 season was fun. But ’24 promises much, much more.

Here’s a look at eight storylines to look forward to in 2024.

1. Shohei Ohtani in Dodger Blue
How could the biggest storyline be anything but this? The global superstar and two-time American League Most Valuable Player Award winner signed the biggest contract in sports history on Dec. 11 to play for one of the signature franchises in the game alongside two other MVP Award winners in Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts. (How many Hall of Famers is this team going to have?) Ohtani won’t pitch in 2024, which is a bummer but is considerably offset by the fact that, uh, he’s one of the best hitters in baseball. Ohtani, famously, has never played in a postseason game in the big leagues, but we saw what he did in the World Baseball Classic: He shines brightest on the biggest stage. The Dodgers are coming off yet another 100-win season in which they didn’t win the World Series — they did not, in fact, win a postseason game. It’s all setting up to be another year of Ohtani. It’s his world. We just get to watch him in it.

2. Juan Soto in the Bronx
Even with Aaron Judge on the roster, the Yankees have felt weirdly small the past few years, haven’t they? After a gradual decline over the past decade or so, they finally fell through the floor last year, missing the postseason for the first time in seven years. Add that to their ever-expanding World Series drought — more than half of baseball has been to the Fall Classic since New York was last there in 2009 — and you’ve got a recipe for some serious urgency in the Bronx. Thus: Soto is here now, and a long-term contract could follow. The Yankees still need to figure out their pitching, and there are some unsettled spots on this roster. But bringing in Soto is a sign they know they need to win right now. Maybe they will and maybe they won’t. But when New York is desperate, big things happen — one way or another.

3. The debut of Yoshinobu Yamamoto
There’s no question that Yamamoto — who signed with the Dodgers on Wednesday — is going to be one of the game’s primary attractions from his first start. He has been the best pitcher in Japan for years, he’s only 25 and he’s essentially getting paid like he’s one of the few aces in baseball from Day 1. Along with Ohtani, Yamamoto will change the face of Los Angeles — and will make the Dodgers a must-watch club every fifth day.