Stealing bases just another elite skill for Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts

SAN DIEGO — The race to 30-30 is on.

Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts are 1-2 in stolen bases among the Dodgers. One was expected to be there. The other is surprising himself.

With Ohtani not able to pitch this season, the expectation was that he would run the bases more aggressively since he didn’t have to save his energy for the mound. It has played out that way. He went into this weekend’s series in San Diego leading the Dodgers with nine stolen bases (tied for ninth in the National League).

“It’s been exactly what I’ve expected,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He said his body felt good (coming into the season). So for me, I felt confident saying he’s gonna be more aggressive on the base paths and it’s kind of played out that way.”

Ohtani stole 20 bases last season and a career-high 26 in 2021.

Betts, meanwhile, has already had a 30-30 season. During his American League MVP season in 2018, he stole 30 bases and hit 32 home runs.

But base stealing has become much less a part of his game in the years since. He hasn’t stolen more than last year’s total of 14 bases in his years with the Dodgers. He already has eight steals this year.

“I don’t know. I really don’t know,” Betts said when asked why he has been more aggressive this year. “I mean, I’m just trying to be the best Mookie I can be. I got hurt in ’21 with my hip or whatever. Since then, I just shut it down. I have no specific reason why other than just trying to stay healthy. That wasn’t being the best Mookie I can be.

“Maybe it’s just wanting to win – not that I didn’t want to win before. I’ve always wanted to win. I’m not really sure. But you only play for so long. I think I have eight years left. I just want to make them the best I can and make sure I can look in the mirror at night and know I did everything I could to win today. Whether we win or lose, to be able to go to sleep at night. Sometimes, I couldn’t because I was thinking, ‘Man, I should have tried to take that base. Maybe I should have did this or maybe I should have did that.’ I’m just trying to eliminate those things.”

Roberts said Betts has “always been one of the better baserunners that I’ve ever been around, smart baserunners.” That he is putting that skill to more aggressive use this year is just part of the “MVP-caliber baseball” he’s playing, Roberts said.

“The reason you’re a superstar player, you’re always trying to get better,” Roberts said. “I think with Mookie, that’s a part of his game, the stolen base, that used to be a part of his game but wasn’t in recent years.

“To be honest, I think playing in the outfield, the toll it takes on him as far as the mileage, the ground that he covers. He started slugging more the last couple years. That didn’t lend itself to running and more workload to his body, let’s say. But I think right now, being on the dirt, he’s more of a dynamic player as far as on the bases. I think that’s what it is.”

HEYWARD PROGRESS

Outfielder Jason Heyward took live batting practice on the field at Petco Park on Friday afternoon and is scheduled to repeat that on Saturday while also simulating some defense. Roberts said Heyward will likely go on a minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment at some point next week and be back with the Dodgers in one to two weeks.

Heyward has been out since March 30 with a lower back strain. He said he didn’t get relief and start progressing toward a return until after getting some injections for the injury.

“I didn’t move right away on that. I didn’t have a lot of experience on that,” he said of the injections. “All in all, I feel like with any injection you want to make sure you’re not covering up anything that you end up injuring and doing more damage that ends up being more severe.”

MILLER MOVING

Right-hander Bobby Miller said he has had no recurrence of shoulder discomfort as he has ramped up his throwing program. Miller threw two simulated innings in a bullpen session on Thursday and said he is scheduled to throw another on Sunday. Facing hitters in a live batting practice situation or on a rehab assignment could be the next step.

ALSO

Three players were sporting new uniform numbers Friday. Rookie outfielder Andy Pages went from 84 to 44. Right-hander Gavin Stone went from 71 to 35 and Michael Grove from 78 to 29.

UP NEXT

Dodgers (LHP James Paxton, 4-0, 3.06 ERA) at Padres (RHP Matt Waldron, 1-4, 5.82 ERA), Saturday, 5:40 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM