The Mets’ historic stolen base streak is over — even though it didn’t look like a traditional caught stealing.
The Mets had safely stolen 39 bases in a row this season without getting caught. But that streak ended when Francisco Lindor was picked off first base in the first inning of the Little League Classic. That pickoff counted statistically as a caught stealing that broke the streak.
New York’s streak was tied with the 2013 Red Sox for the longest single-season streak on record in MLB history. (Caught stealing statistics go back to 1920 in the American League, and to 1951 in the National League.)
And the Mets were just one stolen base shy of the overall record of 40 (not limited to one season), which was set by those same Red Sox but carried over from 2013-14.
So why did Lindor’s pickoff snap the Mets’ streak when he wasn’t thrown out by the catcher at second, like a typical caught stealing?
It’s because he made a move toward the next base. On the pickoff, Lindor was dancing off first, prompting Mariners pitcher George Kirby to quickly throw over behind him. Lindor was caught way off the base, so as first baseman Josh Naylor received the throw, Lindor broke a few steps toward second. He then froze in the basepath before making a last-ditch effort to duck under Naylor’s tag and scamper back to first.
Those steps toward second base are what ended the Mets’ stolen base streak. They make the play a caught stealing, in addition to a pickoff. Had Lindor gone straight back to first and been tagged out, it would have only been a pickoff.
According to MLB Official Rule 9.07(h)(2): “The Official Scorer shall charge a runner as ‘caught stealing’ if such runner is put out, or would have been put out by errorless play, when such runner is picked off a base and tries to advance (any move toward the next base shall be considered an attempt to advance).”
That last part in parentheses makes it very clear: Any move toward the next base forces the play to be scored a caught stealing. Lindor definitely made that move. That’s why the stolen base streak is over.
