Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley says that he expects to run more this season. Given his elite stolen base percentage, this could be great news.
It’s common for players to enter a season aiming to improve an area of their game. For Boston Red Sox outfielder Jackie Bradley, one of his goals appears to be an increase in stolen bases.
During an appearance at the Boston Baseball Writer’s Dinner on Thursday, Bradley told reporters that he expects the team to allow him to run more this season.
Jackie Bradley Jr. expects the Red Sox are going to let him run more this season.
— Christopher Smith (@SmittyOnMLB) January 18, 2018
While he has no notions of breaking Jacoby Ellsbury‘s franchise record, it sounds like Bradley will be given the green light more often.
Xander Bogaerts made a similar proclamation last spring and went on to set a career-high with 15 steals in 2017.
The Red Sox ranked sixth in the majors with 106 stolen bases last season and fifth with a 77.37 stolen base percentage. The ability to swipe a base added another element to a lineup that lacked the power to drive in a runner stuck at first base. If the Red Sox fall short of their goal to add a power threat in free agency then base running could again be an important strategy for them to rely on.
Bradley certainly has the ability to help in that category. While he doesn’t possess blazing speed, he’s a savvy baserunner who picks his spots wisely. Bradley topped out with a career-high nine stolen bases in 2016 but for what he lacks in quantity he makes up for with quality. He was a perfect 13-for-13 stealing bases through the first three seasons of his big league career before going 9-for-11 in 2016.
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For his career, Bradley has stolen 30 bases in 35 attempts for an 85.71 success rate. Only three players in major league history with 80+ stolen base attempts own a higher career percentage. His career stolen base percentage would have translated into a top-10 spot on the 2017 leaderboard. Granted, Bradley has the luxury of a small sample size on his side. His percentage would undoubtedly dip if he were to take more chances on the base paths but it gives you an idea of what he’s capable of.
Bradley will presumably be batting near the bottom of the order. Any opportunity to swipe a base from that spot will help set the table for the top of the lineup.
Of course, in order to steal bases, Bradley will need to get on base. That was a struggle at times for him last season, as he saw his on-base percentage fall to a below-average .323, his lowest since 2014.
Bradley should be in store for a bounce-back season after his numbers at the plate fell across the board from his All-Star campaign in 2016. A return to the mid-20’s home run total would go a long way toward improving Boston’s power struggles. If he can make a similar leap in the stolen bases department then he may have the potential to join fellow Red Sox outfielders Mookie Betts and Andrew Benintendi in the 20/20 club.
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It remains to be seen how often Bradley will be given the green light this season but a base runner as efficient as he has been throughout his career should be trusted to take more chances.