The Yankees and Royals are set to clash in the American League Division Series, with the winner moving on to face either the Guardians or Tigers for a shot at the World Series.
This series promises excitement, featuring two of the league’s top players: Aaron Judge from the Yankees and Bobby Witt Jr. from the Royals. Judge nearly hit 60 home runs again this season and might win another MVP award soon.
Witt, meanwhile, is making his mark with a powerful skill set, having achieved a 171 OPS+ and his second career 30-30 season.
Witt’s Speed on Base
Witt is known as a base-stealing expert, swiping 110 bases in three seasons—second only to Ronald Acuña Jr., who had 73 steals last year. Though Witt’s efficiency has dipped slightly each year, he’s still successful in 76% of attempts. Fans might wonder if he can keep this up against tougher opponents.
Interestingly, Witt managed to steal many bases without drawing throws or tags from catchers or infielders. He stole 18 out of his 31 bases this way, similar to Shohei Ohtani’s stats.
Check out this video showing Witt’s typical stolen base style: https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=a31318a7-a03d-4b5e-9a20-bc5121b7b24e
Unlike Ohtani, Witt often gets green lights when there’s another runner on base or during double steals but is more prone to being caught by pitchers and catchers.
Yankees’ Defense Against Steals
Stopping Witt isn’t just about him; it’s also about how well the Yankees defend against base stealers. This season they allowed an average number of stolen bases—122 total—but some pitchers like Marcus Stroman and Gerrit Cole were more vulnerable than others.
The Yankees attempted many pickoffs during games; Stroman alone tried it 61 times! They successfully caught runners stealing on several occasions thanks to strategies like signaling pickoffs with subtle catcher movements: https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/sporty-videos?playId=7d47f288-e253-4f58-977a-b7abbd9adb9d
Series Predictions
In their regular-season meetings with New York, Witt struggled to steal even once despite having plenty of chances across seven games. The Yankees’ frequent pickoff attempts seemed effective at keeping him anchored down.
Will these tactics work again when it matters most? Can they block Witt from stealing crucial bases throughout October? What do you think will happen next?
