Stealing is something of a dying art in both baseball and MLB The Show 23. Modern analytics have been down on the payoff of trying to steal but this has more to do with the focus on getting heavy for extra power. Players like Rickey Henderson have already proved that stealing bases wins championships.
Henderson is also the lead run-scorer in the history of the major leagues. Players can score far more often in MLB The Show 23 if they steal aggressively. Even slower or average players, who know what to look for, can have far more swipes than outs on the basepaths.
Equip For Success
Hitters may have a tough time balancing contact, power, and speed when choosing the best equipment for their position. Is it worth sacrificing getting on base a few extra times for some extra stolen bases? In general, it is not; even Henderson had great contact and power.
However, some speedy cleats are usually all it takes to become a base-stealing machine. There is a method of farming up stubs that can help players afford the fastest ones in the game in under a few hours.
One Leadoff Stride
The game offers players a chance to extend their leadoff from the base or shrink it up. On all console controllers, it's L1 to step back and R1 to extend the lead. For the purposes of stealing bases, it's critical to get a good lead.
However, only take on R1 extra lead. With two, even the fastest players get thrown out trying to return to the bag. AI opponents will automatically get this out as soon as the player tries to take that extra lead. The best starting pitchers in the game have excellent pickoff moves to take advantage of these situations.
Wait For One Pitch
It's always a smart idea to watch at least one pitch before stealing. There are several reasons for this. Pitchers tend to open with a fastball, which gives the players less time to swipe a bag. If the catcher calls for a pitchout, it's also usually on the first pitch of an at-bat. And often the pitcher will do a stutter step pitch, decreasing their pitch effectiveness but making it nearly impossible to get enough time to steal.
The best closers get brought in when runners are on base because they excel at eliminating the effectiveness of baserunners. By waiting for just one pitch, players avoid most of their traps. It also gives gamers a chance to see the pitcher's motion.
Watch The Pitcher's Front Foot
Especially while on second base, the camera is in a position that disguises the pitcher's front foot. As soon as the leg makes a move toward the batter, the pitcher is no longer allowed to throw a pickoff move. So it's all about watching the foot, not the glove or the ball.
There are a few points of note here. Left-handed pitchers are allowed to lift up their foot and put it down again to pick off runners on first so long as the foot doesn't move forward (Clayton Kershaw uses this move often). SO wait for the foot to actually go toward the plate. Also, the AI does not check on runners on second base with two outs; players can run on any motion.
Hold The Left Thumbstick Left
The correct baserunning settings will differ from player to player, but Road to the Show gamers will be in charge of controlling their runner. The biggest mistake players make is keeping the thumbstick neutral and then tapping it left on a pickoff or right to steal.
With an extended lead, players can get picked off unless they react instantaneously. When taking a lead, hold the left thumbstick left so the player will automatically and instantly return to the base on a pickoff move, then tilt it right to steal.
It's All In The Slide
If players only take one piece of advice from this guide, make it this one. A great slide compensates for slow speeds and bad jumps. After starting to steal, hold the L1 button down and hold the right thumbstick up and to the right for a headfirst side toward the right side of the base.
There are various times to times to dive slide, but this is always the best slide for base stealing since it keeps the player's body away from the tag.
MLB The Show 23 is available now for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.