Baseball Glossary › Caught Stealing
Caught Stealing (CS)
Caught stealing (CS) is charged when a runner attempting to steal second base, third base or home is tagged out before reaching it. It usually follows a catcher's throw, but it can also happen on a pickoff throw when the runner has already broken for the next base. Each CS costs his team an out.
What to Know
CS is the cost side of the steal. Paired with stolen bases, it gives a runner's success rate: SB divided by SB plus CS. MLB's glossary treats about 75 percent as the rough level where stealing starts to help a team.
Not every out on the bases is a caught stealing. MLB's glossary notes that a runner thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch or passed ball is not caught stealing, and a runner picked off while diving back was never trying to steal. A runner who slides in safely but is tagged when he comes off the bag before gaining his balance is still caught stealing.
When the catcher's throw starts the play, he is credited with an assist, and the fielder who applies the tag gets a putout. MLB's glossary calls the catcher's credit a catcher caught stealing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does CS mean in baseball?
CS stands for caught stealing. It is charged to a runner who tries to steal a base and is tagged out before he reaches it. It is usually listed next to SB, stolen bases.
Is a pickoff a caught stealing?
Sometimes. If the runner had already broken for the next base when the pitcher threw over and he is tagged out, it is a caught stealing. If he is picked off while diving back to his base, it is not.
Is being thrown out on a wild pitch a caught stealing?
No. MLB's glossary says a runner thrown out trying to advance on a wild pitch or a passed ball is not charged with a caught stealing, because he was not attempting a steal.
How do you calculate stolen base percentage?
Divide stolen bases by total attempts, which is stolen bases plus caught stealing. A runner with 30 steals and 10 times caught stealing has a 75 percent success rate.
Does caught stealing count as an out for the pitcher?
Yes. A caught stealing is an out, so the pitcher on the mound is credited with one-third of an inning pitched, even though he did not retire the batter.
Who gets credit when a runner is caught stealing?
The catcher who throws the runner out gets an assist, which MLB calls a catcher caught stealing, and the fielder who tags the runner gets a putout.
Related Terms
Sources
- MLB.com Glossary: Caught Stealing (CS)
- MLB.com Glossary: Stolen Base (SB)
- MLB.com Glossary: Innings Pitched (IP)
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