Nationals shortstop Trea Turner singled to lead off the seventh inning, stole second and later scored for a two-run edge.
In the next inning, center fielder Michael A. Taylor led off with a walk, stole second and eventually scored to give the Nationals a three-run lead.
Those back-to-back innings in a 5-2 win Tuesday over the New York Mets represented a new look for the Nationals, a team that just a few years ago relied too much on the homer to score.
Last season, the Nationals were seventh in the National League in walks with 542. They entered Thursday in first with 90.
As recently as 2015, the Nationals were second-to-last in the National League in steals. Now they are first — by a wide margin.
Washington is 23 for 28 on steal attempts going into the series opener Friday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers. The next closest team is the Philadelphia Phillies, who were 14 for 19 prior to facing the Pirates on Thursday.
The Nationals won two of three games in New York this week and stole five bases in the series, while the Mets had just two.
A big reason for the increase is the speedy Turner, who broke into the majors in 2015. He had 33 steals in 39 tries as one of the top rookies in the league in 2016.
Turner then had 46 steals and was caught just eight times last season. So far this season, he has not been caught in eight tries.
“Obviously I think the most meaningful thing is winning, and winning the World Series, but the way you help your team, if that is stealing bases and you can be the best at it, I think that’s pretty cool,” Turner told the Associated Press.
Taylor also aids the Nationals in the stolen-base category.
He entered this year with 47 steals in 62 tries over the previous three seasons. This season, he has been successful on his first six tries.
Manager Dave Martinez is a fan of the aggressive approach on the bases.
“I told them, I’ll never criticize you for going first to third in spring, ever, because I want to see how many times you can make it,” Martinez told the Associated Press.
But it’s not just Turner and Taylor that steal bases. The Nationals have eight players with at least one steal, including ace pitcher Max Scherzer. He got the first steal of his big league career while throwing a shutout against the Atlanta Braves on April 9.
Bryce Harper has two steals in two tries while third baseman Anthony Rendon was thrown out on his only try. Rendon fouled a ball off his big toe April 13, and has sat since but hopes to play Friday against the Dodgers, according to Martinez.
“Even Harp and Rendon, those guys don’t have to steal all the time, but be aware that we might ask them to run on occasion,” Martinez said.
When it comes to walks, Harper’s presence in the middle of the batting order is having an impact.
Harper has 24 walks in his first 19 games and has an on-base percentage of .471. The Nationals have an on-base percentage of .335, third in the league back of the Braves (.345) and Mets (.339).
It’s more than just Turner and Harper changing the offensive approach.
The Nationals now have a more athletic catcher in Pedro Severino, who has five walks and one steal in just 35 at-bats.
Wilson Ramos, the regular catcher in 2016 who is now with Tampa Bay, had just 35 walks in 482 at-bats that season. He had no steals while playing with the Nationals from 2010-16.
The Nationals now have more speed on the bases in left field when Howie Kendrick, Moises Sierra (one steal) or Brian Goodwin (two) play there. Jayson Werth, who signed a minor league deal with Seattle in late March, played left field in 51 games last season and 70 overall for the Nationals but had just four steals.
“My biggest motto for them as baserunners is, ’How can we get to third base with less than two outs?’” Martinez said. So far that approach appears to be working.
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