Diamondbacks felt Gabriel Moreno’s absence as Rays racked up stolen bases

The Arizona Diamondbacks set a dubious franchise high for stolen bases allowed over a three-game series this weekend in Tampa Bay while catcher Gabriel Moreno continues to recover on the injured list.

The Rays swiped 13 bags without getting caught from Friday-Sunday. Arizona, meanwhile, stole one base in a three-game sweep by Tampa Bay.

Stolen bases are not all on the catcher. The pitcher’s speed to home plate and wherewithal to check on runners while not being predictable are factors, as is the runner’s jump.

But Moreno is one of the league’s greatest deterrents, and Tampa Bay took full advantage of his absence — Moreno has been on the injured list since Aug. 6 with an adductor strain.

This was especially the case on Sunday, as the Rays took seven bags in an 8-7 win in 12 innings. Two of the steals directly led to runs which may have otherwise been avoidable.

Moreno this season has played the 15th most innings behind the dish, yet he has allowed the 38th most stolen bases at 36. He has thrown out 31% of base stealers after leading the league at 39% last year. League average is 22%, and his ability to control the run game became a key reason for his Gold Glove award.

The Diamondbacks’ previous high for steals allowed over a three-game stretch — not even a series — was 11 back in 1999 against the Houston Astros and San Diego Padres, according to Stathead. Tampa Bay collected the most steals by any team over a three-game span this year. They are fourth in MLB in stolen bases.

Rookie backstop Adrian Del Castillo has been an important cog for the offense in Moreno’s absence. He stepped up with a game-tying, three-run home run in the ninth inning on Sunday, as he is batting .310 with a .961 OPS in the major leagues through eight games.

That said, Del Castillo was the catcher for Tampa Bay’s seven steals — not all of which drew throws — and had trouble blocking a couple wild pitches. Jose Herrera made a mistake throwing down to second base on a first-and-third steal by Tampa Bay on Saturday that led to a run.

Both have received positive reviews for handling the pitching staff, with Herrera earning that trust over the past couple seasons. Herrera caught 22% of base stealers last year and 43% in 2022 before the league expanded the bases and limited pickoffs.

But the tandem is a hard-to-believe 1-for-24 in throwing out base stealers this year. Again, this could be something to address team-wide, as the Moreno safety net is gone for the time being.

The Diamondbacks won eight of their first nine games played after Moreno went on the IL, showing a resilience to overcome injuries. But his injury loomed large over this weekend’s series against a scrappy team with a lot of speed, something to look out for as Moreno remains down.

Follow @alexjweiner