Home runs, strikeouts, and pitching changes were up in 2018 while many other numbers were down. One of them was stolen bases. You’d never know it if you watched the New York Mets exclusively.
The season ended with Whit Merrifield leading the way in stolen bases with 45. The total is the lowest by any leader in MLB since the 40 stolen bases by Maury Wills and Luis Aparicio in 1963.
Doing their part to keep stolen bases alive, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz finished number one and two in allowing a swiped bag.