J.T. Realmuto's league-best throwing arm and pop time will be put to the test this weekend in Kansas City.
Realmuto has thrown out an incredible 12 of 23 base stealers this season, most in the majors. No other catcher has thrown out more than eight.
The Royals are not a good team, but they do have a potent top of the order and can really run. They're a small-ball offense that swipes more bags than any other. They've stolen 37 bases this season, 10 more than any team. They've attempted 51 steals, 15 more than any team.
The three main culprits are the 1, 2 and 9 hitters: Whit Merrifield, Adalberto Mondesi and Billy Hamilton. Merrifield led the majors last season with 45 steals and is 7 for 9 this season. Mondesi, who has also utilized his speed to lead the bigs already with six triples, is 10 for 11 stealing. Hamilton has swiped nine bags but has been caught a league-high four times.
Realmuto led the majors last season with a pop time of 1.90 seconds. This measures, in seconds, how quickly the catcher releases the ball on a stolen base attempt. The league average hovers around 2.00 seconds.
Realmuto's throws on stolen base attempts last season averaged 87.8 mph, second-fastest behind only former Phillies catcher Jorge Alfaro.
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Nothing has changed this season; Realmuto is experiencing even more success behind the plate. He is having the best defensive season of his career so far and has also made strides with pitch-framing.
His unique skill set will be put to the test this weekend. Controlling the Royals' running game could very well be the difference in the series.
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