Reds' running game regression might doom their entire season

Cincinnati Reds v Los Angeles Dodgers | Luke Hales/GettyImagesFor all their faults, the 2024 version of the Cincinnati Reds could fly. The team finished the season with the third-most steals in the majors (207) and the fourth-best extra bases taken rate (47%). Unfortunately, they also were prone to mistakes; only the Washington Nationals were picked off more often, and no other team made more baserunning outs. New Reds manager Terry Francona has set out to fix those mistakes, but in doing so, he may have limited one of the Reds’ greatest assets.

This season, the Reds rank below league average in steals and are hovering around the midline in most other baserunning categories. Sure, Cincinnati…