Yankees sprint past Marlins to maintain early stolen base momentum

Yankees Star in Stolen Bases Early in the Season

The Yankees have jumped to the top of the American League, boasting 11 stolen bases in just seven games. Only the Brewers, with 15, have more across the major leagues.

It seems like the Yankees are really finding their stride now.

After the trade deadline, this new version of the team is clearly one that can steal bases effectively.

In the second inning, Jazz Chisholm Jr. walked and quickly stole both second and third base. Following him, Jose Caballero also swiped second base, allowing both players to score, which set a strong tone for an 8-2 win over the Marlins in their home opener.

“We’re a really athletic team,” commented Cody Bellinger, who is back partly due to his speed. He showcased this athleticism with an impressive catch in the ninth inning. “We genuinely believe we’re one of the best teams in the world… and we want to demonstrate that.”

Miami’s catcher, Liam Hicks, isn’t exactly known for his defensive skills, and the Yankees capitalized on this weakness, succeeding in all five steal attempts during the game. Chisholm and Caballero each stole two bases, while Aaron Judge also recorded a double in the eighth.

However, the Yankees’ aggressiveness didn’t always pay off. For instance, while trying to squeeze in a run with two outs in the third, Caballero’s bunt attempt didn’t quite work out as planned.

In the sixth inning, Ryan McMahon hit a fly ball to left, and Austin Wells, who was on second, unexpectedly advanced to third. Griffin Conine’s throw beat Wells, but the catcher managed to evade the tag and eventually scored on a wild pitch.

Later in the eighth, Trent Grisham tried to move from first to third on a Judge single but lost track of the bases and was tagged out.

It’s still early in the season, but this Yankees team doesn’t seem to be built just on waiting for home runs.

Manager Aaron Boone noted, “We have some guys who really excel in the running game. So far, they’ve done well with the long bases too.” He elaborated about a missed opportunity for Grisham, who almost made it—“It was a slide, but they were smart and aggressive today and executed well.”

In other news, Anthony Volpe, who had surgery on his left shoulder, is set to start a rehab assignment “in the middle of this month,” according to Boone. This could set him up for a return to the field by late April or early May.