Stolen BasesSB

SB stands for stolen bases in baseball. Bases taken on the pitcher and catcher rather than on a batted ball.

How SB is calculated

Success rate = SB ÷ (SB + CS). Roughly 75% is the break-even point where stealing stops costing runs.

The 2023 rules — bigger bases and a limit on pickoff throws — pushed league-wide success rates to their highest in the modern record, so totals before and after are not the same statistic.

What counts as a good SB?

Half of the 369 qualified MLB players in 2026 were at or below 5. Clearing 20 put a season in the top tenth of the league.

Median
5
Top 10%
20
Leader
46

By position, the median was 11 for CF, 10 for SS, 7 for 2B, 6.5 for RF, 6.5 for LF and 4 for 1B.

Qualified: 40+ games, non-zero, 2026 regular season.

Stolen Bases questions