In their prospect days, Luis Robert Jr., Yoán Moncada and Tim Anderson were all terrors on the basepaths. But as the White Sox’ focus has shifted to keeping them healthy through nagging injuries, that element of their game has taken a backseat.
The Sox are unlikely to have a player reach 20 stolen bases this season, and are on pace to finish in the bottom 10 in MLB in stolen bases as a team for the fourth-straight year. Meanwhile, they have allowed the most stolen bases in baseball on defense. Rule changes aimed at increasing stealing have only made the gulf between the extra bases the White Sox allow and the bases they take grow larger.
