Can the Brewers Lead the League in Stolen Bases (Yes, They Can)

[Davy Andrews]

The Brewers might win it all this year. No, I don’t mean the World Series (although, sure, if that’s your thing they’ve got a shot at that too). I’m talking about something important: Major League Baseball’s stolen base crown.

Image courtesy of © Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

The Brewers last led the league in 2016 (just four years after taking the title in 2012), and they’re in great position to do so again this year. As things stand over the All-Star break, there are three horses in the race. The Reds, fronted by the fearless and fearsome Elly De La Cruz and his 46 robberies, lead baseball with 134 stolen bases. The Brewers, led by Brice Turang’s 30 bags, sit right behind Cincinnati with 133. The Nationals, led by Lane Thomas’s 23 swipes, bring up the rear with 126. The fourth-place Phillies have stolen a pathetically puny 99 bases. They might as well be running in quicksand and we will never mention them again. I made a fun little animation to show the progress of the race day by day:

As you can see, the Brewers did not exactly get a head start. For most of the season, the Reds and Nationals have been trading the lead back and forth while the Brew Crew has been playing catch-up. Through the last games of the first half on July 14, the Brewers had only had the outright lead for five total days (March 31, April 5, and June 24, 25, and 26). Compare that to the Nationals, who have led outright for 20 days and held a share of the lead for 32. The Reds are way ahead at 60 and 84 days, respectively.

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[Underachiever]

“I was checking the percentage of the time that getting on base only meant getting to first base and no further. The Brewers ranked first in baseball at 78.4%. Despite that fact, the Brewers have made 1,038 plate appearances with runners in scoring position. That’s tied for the most in baseball.“

well, that’s fascinating. Thanks!