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The Cubs had logged 12 pickoffs this season, from 11 different pitchers, entering Wednesday. Four had come in the last four games, in a weekend series against the Reds and the series opener against the White Sox on Tuesday.
“Teams are aggressive running, period, in the league,” manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday afternoon. “If you have people that can run, they are running right now. That’s what’s going on in the league right now. So you have to exhaust every opportunity to try to prevent it or defend against it.