Shohei Ohtani’s 50-50 Feat: Can He Defy Baseball History Once More?
Before the 2023 season, MLB instituted a handful of rule changes geared toward incentivizing stolen bases. In the so-called “big-base era,” steals have gradually increased month by month over the course of the season. That’s not by chance. The warm weather likely makes players feel more limber and willing to risk a stolen base. And more inexperienced pitchers, less adept at controlling runners, tend to make more appearances in the summer months.
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This trend is also true for offense in general. The past two seasons, home run rates spiked in July and August compared to April and May. That also has to do with hotter conditions, which help with ball flight. Plus, pitchers usually get tired more quickly when working under the summer sun, making them more susceptible to offering up a middle-middle cookie.
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