Jonathan Villar came to the Orioles last month from a Milwaukee Brewers team that relied on base running. Milwaukee is on pace to lead the National League in stolen bases for the third straight year, a stretch that included a 2016 season when Villar led the majors in steals with 62 steals.
The acquisition of Villar, who was part of the trade that sent second baseman Jonathan Schoop to the Brewers, as well as the grooming of Cedric Mullins to be the Orioles’ center fielder of the future — and even the smaller acquisition of outfielder John Andreoli — are part of the Orioles’ new emphasis on fueling the offense by getting faster on the field.