WHEN SUMMER ARRIVED and his pitching progression intensified, Shohei Ohtani essentially stopped running. In an attempt to preserve his body for the added stress it was about to endure, Ohtani stole just two bases throughout June and July.
Now, even as he approaches the workload of a traditional starting pitcher, the aggressiveness that helped make him the first 50/50 player in baseball history is showing up again. In 12 games in August, Ohtani has attempted five steals, a shift Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attributes to the urgency of this moment.