Stolen bases already impacting MLB postseason after record-breaking summer

With the start of October, the focus of the baseball world is firmly on the outcome of the playoffs, but looking back at the regular season can give fans a hint as to how teams will approach the long month: Steal bases. And lots of them. 

According to MLB.com, players stole 3,617 bases during the 2024 regular season, marking the most stolen bases in 109 years and only surpassed by totals in 1914 (4,574) and 1915 (4,108). This comes a year after new rule changes — implemented by MLB to encourage more action-packed games — lead to 3,503 stolen bases in the 2023 regular season. 

With pitchers limited to two pickoff attempts or step-offs per batter and base sizes increased to reduce the distance between bases by 4 1/2 inches, teams have had much more success in stealing bases. To the point that in 2023, baserunners were successful on over 80% of their stolen base attempts, which is the highest success rate in major league history, according to ESPN. 

While Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz led the pack with 67 stolen bases in 2024, it was Los Angeles Dodgers megastar Shohei Ohtani who captured everyone’s attention with his creation of the 50-50 club and ending the year with 59 steals and 54 home runs. Ohtani is entering his first MLB postseason. While it’s difficult to predict exactly how he’ll perform, it’s safe to say that when he gets on base, he’ll be looking to steal if given the slightest chance to do so. 

Looking beyond Ohtani, three of the top five teams in total stolen bases made the postseason in the Milwaukee Brewers (217), Cleveland Guardians (148) and Philadelphia Phillies (148), all of which present an immediate challenge by looking to quickly move runners into scoring position so they don’t have to just rely on the big hits to bring them home. 

“It makes them very, very dangerous,” said New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo when describing the Brewers’ aggressive baserunning in a news conference. “The ability for them all to just be able to get even a swinging bunt single, now [they] can steal the bag and now [they’re] in scoring position, so all [they] need is a little single…and it puts a lot more pressure on the defense.”

The Mets handled that pressure and beat the Brewers 8-4 in the first game of their NL wild-card series on Tuesday, not letting them steal a single base over nine innings. On the opposite side of the equation, the Kansas City Royals scored their game-winning run thanks to third baseman Maikel Garcia stealing second and putting himself in position for shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to drive in a run and break the deadlock with the Baltimore Orioles.