Is the NL top 10 dangerous now?
Bae Ji-hwan was put on the injured list after the Milwaukee Brewers game on the 2nd (hereafter Korean time) due to an ankle injury, and the store is closed. The All-Star break is over, and the schedule for the second half is underway, but Bae Ji-hwan shows no signs of returning. Nothing can take precedence over health. For Bae Ji-hwan, it is important to recover from the ankle.
Bae Ji-hwan's last stolen base must be traced back to a month ago. On June 17, against the Milwaukee Brewers, he broke his 20th steal of the season. While he opened and closed, many of his competitors ran away and pursued. Ronald Acuna Jr. (Atlanta Braves, 44 stolen bases), who topped the National League in steals, has risen to the top spot in the major leagues. He booked the National League stealing king early.
However, second place Corbin Carroll (Arizona Diamondbacks) is also unusual. Carroll succeeded in stealing his 29th base of the season on the 21st in front of the Atlanta Braves match Akuna. 3 steals in last 3 games. Although the gap with Acuna is still large, it has a solo system in second place.
From the third place, the gap with Bae Ji-hwan is not large. Starling Marte (New York Mets, 24 steals), Jake McCarty (Arizona, 22 steals), Nico Horner (Chicago Cubs), Trey Turner (Philadelphia Phillies), and Christian Yelich (Milwaukee Brewers, more than 21 steals) are within range of Bae Ji-hwan's pursuit. It means that if Bae Ji-hwan recovers his health, he can try to reach the top 3.
However, Bae Ji-hwan's pursuers are also formidable. Ha-seong Kim (San Diego Padres) followed him every step of the way. He is tied for ninth with CJ Abrams (Washington Nationals) and Tyro Estrada (San Francisco Giants, more than 18 stolen bases). With a difference of only two, Bae Ji-hwan may allow overtaking within a day or two. 토토 Kim Ha-seong has been on base for 15 consecutive games in July, and his pace has been good lately. He stole five bases in July. On the 21st, when he was replaced by the Toronto Blue Jays, he also broke the consecutive on-base record in vain, but since it is a lead-off, there are many opportunities to try on-base and steal.
'Dominican monster' Ellie de la Cruz (21, Cincinnati Reds) is the biggest dark horse. On June 7, against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he made his major league debut, stealing 17 bases in just 37 games. His crazy athleticism quickly made him a Cincinnati star. He has not stolen bases in the last 3 consecutive games, including a stolen base against the San Francisco Giants on the 21st. He is a player with great power and sense who can steal 3 bases at once. He seems to have the potential to surpass Bae Ji-hwan and rise to the top of the National League in stolen bases. Also, during the defense at the beginning of the 4th inning on this day, the throwing speed was recorded as 99.8 miles (about 160 km).
Bae Ji-hwan has already fallen to 15th in the overall major league stolen base rankings. He may hit and rise to the top 3 in the national league, or he may not keep the top 10 on the contrary. His ankle recovery and return timing are the biggest issues.
