The Boston Red Sox have plenty of issues to iron out after a lackluster start to the 2023 season. Perhaps the most glaring one is their opponents wreaking havoc against them on the basepaths.
On Opening Day, the Baltimore Orioles stole five bases in five chances, all without a throw. They stole five more in the second game of the season to become the first MLB team ever to steal five bases in each of the first two games.
The Pittsburgh Pirates took note of the O's success and went four-for-four on stolen base attempts while sweeping the Red Sox at Fenway Park. Boston's 14 consecutive steals allowed through the first six games of the season marks the most since the 1987 Montreal Expos. It's the seventh-most allowed through the first game games in MLB history, per @BostonSportsInf.
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Some of those struggles can be attributed to the bigger bases and new pitching rules, which have doubled the stolen base total across the league. But for the most part, the Red Sox have nothing to blame for teams running all over them except themselves. Their pitchers have been unable to hold runners on. And catcher Reese McGuire, who threw out 33 percent (16-for-48) of runners last season, has yet to throw anyone out this year.
Boston's 4-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday brings its early record to 2-4. It will look to get back on track Thursday when it begins a series three-game series vs. the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.