On Wednesday, as the Chicago Cubs pressed at maximum intensity, trying to secure one of the National League’s final postseason berths, Atlanta Braves superstar Ronald Acuña Jr. pilfered second base, ripped it out of the ground and hoisted it above his head to celebrate his 70th steal of the season. Then he promptly raced home on an Ozzie Albies single to hand the Cubs a crushing defeat.
It could’ve been mistaken for an MLB executive’s fever dream circa one year ago. When the new rules for 2023 were announced, the goals were clear: Make baseball games quicker, and inject more athletic action.