SF Giants quietly improved in one key area in 2024

The SF Giants aimed to get faster this year. In some sense, they have improved in that regard even if it is a marginal improvement.

SF Giants quietly improved in one key area in 2024

The Giants were last in stolen bases in 2023 with 57. Not only that, but Ronald Acuña Jr. (73) and Esteury Ruiz (67) tallied more stolen bases than the Giants did as a team.

MLB implemented new rules in 2023 to benefit baserunners such as increasing the size of the bases and limiting the number of disengagements that a pitcher can make to two attempts. That has not only led to a huge increase in steals but a modest improvement in success rate as well. In 2022, MLB combined for 2,486 steals but that number jumped up to 3,503 steals in the first year the new rules were implemented last year.

However, the Giants were behind the curve and those rules did not really help them all that much. As a whole, they were also one of the slowest teams in baseball as their sprint speed averaged 26.8 feet per second. That was the third-worst mark in baseball. It is tough to steal bases if you do not have the speed, so the Giants just looked ill-prepared for the new rules.

The good news is that there has been some improvement in that regard. With a little over a week to go, the Giants have surpassed last year's stolen base total with 66 steals. Two teams have fewer stolen bases, including the Minnesota Twins (65) and the Atlanta Braves (64).

And, no player has more stolen bases than the Giants this year. Elly De La Cruz is so close with 65 steals this year, but still one below the Giants' total.

It might be hard to tell, but the Giants are a faster team as well. They have recorded an average sprint speed of 27.3 feet per second. That is closer to the middle of the pack than it is the basement, so there has been a tangible improvement.

Tyler Fitzgerald and Matt Chapman have led the way in stolen bases with 17 and 15, respectively. Despite only appearing in 30 games this year, Grant McCray is already fourth on the team with five.

In addition to this, both Heliot Ramos and Jung Hoo Lee have flashed above-average speed on the bases. However, that has not translated to many steals but it can still put pressure on the defense when the ball is put in play.

Interestingly, the Giants may not benefit much from this as they look like they will struggle to surpass last year's win total of 78. However, there is a foundation for them to be even faster in 2025. In a season of overwhelming disappointment, this has been one small victory.