When the Dodgers acquired 28-year-old Trea Turner at the July 31 trade deadline, they knew they were getting a league-leading hitter and an elite middle infielder. They also knew they were getting a speedster. In fact, the Boynton Beach, FL native and first-round draft pick in 2014 by the San Diego Padres out of North Carolina State University already had a league-leading 21 stolen bases before he even donned a Dodgers uniform. He has since added eight additional stolen bases to give him 29 on the season and 200 over his seven-year MLB career.

Little did they know, and how could they, they also got a spark when they acquired Turner from the Washington Nationals, along with future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer in exchange for Josiah Gray and Keibert Ruiz and minor league prospects Gerardo Carrillo Donovan Casey. Turner brought with him an element that had been missing from the team through their first 123 games; a huge missing element – speed. Not just stolen base speed (which they were indeed missing), but overall baserunning speed and even defensive speed.

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, it is impossible not to have noticed the Dodgers taking extra bases when the opportunity has presented itself of late – a huge part of that heretofore missing element thing. In fact, on September 11 and again on September 13, known Dodgers speedsters Cody Bellinger and Gavin Lux scored from first base on doubles by Lux and Austin Barnes, respectively.

During his pregame Zoom media session on Wednesday afternoon, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked if his team’s suddenly re-discovered aggressiveness on the basepaths was a sign of things to come down the stretch with only 15 games remaining in the 2021 regular season.

“I hope so. I hope so,” Roberts answered. “The other part of it is hitting doubles. And so, I think [Dodgers third base coach Dino Ebel] is the best in the game. And so, if guys make a good effort and it makes sense, he has no fear in sending guys around.

“I know the players feed off of it, I know the crowd feeds off of it, so I certainly hope we see more of that,” Roberts added.

In addition to the first-to-home thing, the Dodgers appear to have also (finally) stepped up their base-stealing game, and not a moment too soon.

During Wednesday’s 5-3 win over the NL West last-place Arizona Diamondbacks at Dodger Stadium to complete a three-game sweep, the Dodgers attempted three stolen bases, two of which were successful. Trea Turner stole second base off of Dbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly and catcher Carson Kelly in the bottom of the third inning, and Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts stole third base off of right-hander Noé Ramirez and Kelly in the bottom of the eighth. Turner also legged out an infield single in the bottom of the sixth.

Dodgers’ first baseman Max Muncy also stole second base in the bottom of the third, but was ruled out on a Dbacks-requested video review of the play – but you’ve got to appreciate Muncy’s effort and aggressiveness. He also slugged his team-leading 34th home run, a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Will we see more aggressiveness on the basepaths by the Dodgers over the final two weeks of the regular season with the Dodgers now trailing the San Francisco Giants by only 1.5 games in the NL West?

As Dave Roberts so eloquently put it: “I hope so.”

Play Ball!

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