Can Bae Ji-hwan (Pittsburgh Pirates) get back into the top five?
Bae Ji-hwan’s bat is not feeling good. Starting at second base in the No. 8 spot in the lineup against the Miami Marlins in the 2023 Major League Baseball (MLB) at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida, on April 23 (KST), he went 0-for-3. On the season, he’s 200-for-50 with a .250 batting average, two home runs, 18 RBIs, 35 runs scored, 20 doubles, a .314 on-base percentage, a .325 slugging percentage and a .639 OPS.
As Pittsburgh slipped into a shocking 10-game losing streak, Bae’s bat sank with it. In 18 games in June, he’s 9-for-51 with a .176 batting average, six home runs, nine RBIs, and five stolen bases. Despite his on-base percentage dropping from .360 in May to .271 in June, he still has one more stolen base than he did in May.먹튀검증
However, as his batting average dropped, so did his stolen base attempts. After stealing his 20th base against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 17, Bae didn’t steal another base in seven straight games. He didn’t even attempt one.
Obviously, Bae doesn’t play baseball to steal bases. But stolen bases are definitely a weapon that increases his value. While Bae has been slowing down, his competitors have been thriving. As Major League Baseball has made stealing more favorable this season with the introduction of pitch clocks, a ban on excessive shifts, and restrictions on balls in play, the Junkies have been busy.
Corbin Carroll (23, Arizona Diamondbacks), the reigning National League Rookie of the Year, totaled three stolen bases in two games against the Milwaukee Brewers on April 22 and the Washington Nationals on April 23. After being stuck at 19 stolen bases for a long time, he jumped to 22, giving him a two-game lead over Bae.
With a .316 batting average and .386 on-base percentage in June alone, it was only a matter of time before Carroll overtook Bae. He’s been hitting so well lately that he’s had plenty of room to steal bases. Carroll signed an 8+1 year, $134 million contract with Arizona before the season.
If Bae is to reclaim the National League’s second spot in stolen bases, he’ll need to pass Starling Marte (New York Mets), who has 20, and knock Carroll off the pace. It’s not a small gap, so it’s one that can be overcome if he gets his batting average back up. In any case, Bae has fallen out of the top five in stolen bases in the majors.
The American League and major league leader is Esteemed Ruiz (Oakland Athletics, 39 steals). Behind him is National League leader Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves, 32 steals). Add to that Wander Franco (Tampa Bay Rays), who has played two more games than Carroll and is second in the American League in stolen bases with 24. Carroll and Bobby Whitt Jr. (Kansas City Royals, 22 steals) are tied for fourth overall. Bae is tied with Marte for sixth overall.