The 2023 MLB season has been a completely new landscape for stolen bases.
The new rule changes of limiting the shift, enforcing a pitch clock, and increasing the size of regulation bases 15 square inches to 18 square inches, has had a major impact on steals.
Last season, Jon Berti led MLB with 41 steals. He was the only player with 40-plus stolen bases. This year, there are already two players that have eclipsed this number in Ronald Acuña Jr. and Esteury Ruiz.
Take a look at our updated 2023 MLB Stolen Base Leader odds and best bets.
MLB Stolen Base Leader Odds 2024
MLB Stolen Base Leader betting odds are current from DraftKings Sportsbook as of Wednesday, July 12.
- Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves (-165)
- Esteury Ruiz, Athletics (+100)
- Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (+10000)
- Elly De La Cruz, Reds (+15000)
- Wander Franco, Rays (+20000)
- Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (+20000)
The field is condensed with two heavy favorites in Acuña Jr. and Ruiz, but there’s always a slight chance that we can find a longshot, especially with so much time remaining in the season.
Let’s take a closer look at the best bet, contender, and sleeper pick to lead MLB in stolen bases.
MLB Stolen Base Leader Best Bet 2024
Ronald Acuña Jr., Braves (-165)
DraftKings Sportsbook • Wager: 1 Unit
I never like to lay short odds on a futures bet, but this is a case where it makes a lot of sense.
Acuña Jr. has been running wild on the base paths this year, tallying 41 stolen bases in only 409 plate appearances. The Braves star is only two behind Ruiz, who is currently on the injured list with a shoulder issue.
Ruiz currently has an unclear return date, so Acuña will have a chance to get a comfortable lead moving forward.
MLB Stolen Base Leader Contenders 2024
Esteury Ruiz, Athletics (+100)
DraftKings Sportsbook • Wager: 1 Unit
Ruiz comes at an appealing +100 price, especially since he leads MLB in steals as of the All-Star Break, but it’s hard to feel too confident in this wager since he’s currently sidelined with a shoulder injury.
We’d need Ruiz to get back as soon as possible or Acuña could build an insurmountable lead.
Having said that, Ruiz has the ability to put up steals in bunches, so he’s still worthy of a wager at +100 odds.
See the latest MLB futures odds and picks
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MLB Stolen Base Leader Sleeper 2024
Bobby Witt Jr., Royals (+10000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • Wager: 1 Unit
Witt Jr. has 27 stolen bases in 391 plate appearances. He was one of the few who stole 30 or more bases last season, so there’s an upside that he can get to 50-60 steals.
It also helps that Witt plays for one of the worst teams in baseball in the Royals. We can project them to allow their speedsters to run wild on the bases in the second half.
That makes this longshot worth a sprinkle.
Elly De La Cruz, Reds (+15000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • Wager: 1 Unit
It’s crazy that we’re even mentioning De La Cruz as a potential candidate to lead in stolen bases as he’s only played 30 games.
But that reflects how dominant he’s been on the bases, as he’s already racked up 16 steals in only 135 plate appearances. That puts him on pace for 59 steals in 500 plate appearances.
While Elly has a long way to go to catch up, he’s worth a look at +15000 due to how he continues to rack up steals at an absurd rate.
Corbin Carroll, Diamondbacks (+20000)
DraftKings Sportsbook • Wager: 1 Unit
Carroll is one of the fastest players we’ve ever seen in MLB, which is easy to see with his 26 stolen bases in 349 plate appearances.
The Diamondbacks’ star has run at a better rate than Witt, but he has longer odds. This makes him worth a wager at a +20000 price.
We just need Carroll to stay healthy, as he had a shoulder injury scare right before the All-Star Break.
