A quick riser through the minors during a breakout 2023 that included 94 stolen bases, the multi-steal performance by Cardinals center fielder Victor Scott II zoomed to on Monday night allowed the 24-year-old to reach a personal benchmark for the season.
With successful steals of second base in the third and sixth innings of the Cardinals’ 3-2 win over the Rockies at Busch Stadium, Scott reached the 30-stolen base mark and added to it to give him 31 stolen bases through 112 games of his second season in the majors.
“It was a milestone for me at the beginning of the season, and I just wanted to achieve that. It’s pretty cool for me to get there,†Scott said on Monday night.
Scott reached base with a walk to lead off the third inning. He successfully swiped second base in the at-bat that followed, advanced to third base on a groundout, and scored the game’s first run when Alec Burleson singled with two outs. The speedster successfully stole second base again in the sixth inning after he reached on a fielder’s choice.
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The Cardinals’ Victor Scott II rounds third base on a double by Masyn Winn in the sixth inning against the Nationals at Busch Stadium on Thursday, July 10, 2025.
The 30th successful stolen base of the season made Scott the third Cardinal since 2000 to steal 30 or more bases in a season. He joins Tommy Edman (2021 and 2022) and Cardinals Hall of Fame electee Edgar Renteria (2003) as the three Cardinals to do so.
Scott entered Tuesday tied with Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz for second-most in the National League and trailing Pirates center fielder Oneil Cruz (34 by three bases for the league lead.
“He’s done a pretty good job of taking a bag almost every time he’s gone,†Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said of Scott on Tuesday. “His speed is at a different level. He can outrun the baseball. He does a really nice job there. His jumps are better. When he’s picking the spots — pretty good. Being able to take third, comfort in that, I think, is a real thing. This is a guy that increases his (on-base percentage), and that number goes way up.â€
A co-leader in stolen bases across the minors in 2023 alongside friend and Chandler Simpson, a speedster who came up through the Rays’ system, Scott swiped five bases on six attempts as he hit .179 and had a .219 on-base percentage over 53 major league games in 2024 and totaled 30 stolen bases on 35 attempts in 81 games for Memphis, where he batted .210 and had a .294 on-base percentage.
Scott’s 31 stolen bases through 112 games this season have come as he’s batted .219 and reached base at a .307 clip, and as he’s made strides with his preparation.
The 24-year-old speedster credited pregame work with third base coach Ron “Pop†Warner and assistant coach Jon Jay to study opposing pitchers. When describing his approach to base stealing, who is hitting, what the score is, and how a stolen base attempt could influence the at-bat are factored into the 24-year-old’s thought process.
“I try to take a value to each bag and understand the situations and not just run just to run. ... Just the mental side of it has increased for me instead of just getting on and taking off,†Scott said.
The success that has come with it has continued to grow confidence in his ability to influence a game with his speed and has embodied the characteristics it takes to be a constant threat as a base stealer.
“Bottom line is just no fear. You can’t be scared of getting picked off or getting thrown out,†Marmol said when asked about the qualities it takes to be a base stealer. “If you’re a base stealer, a true base stealer, everyone should know you’re going and you can still take that bag. There’s a mentality to everything going towards second and no hesitation of like, if he picks, I have to be able to get back. There’s just a no fear factor that I think he does a really nice job with.â€
Nootbaar tests knee
While viewed as day-to-day because of a left knee contusion that forced him to exit in the fifth inning of Monday’s series opener vs. the Rockies, Lars Nootbaar was set to go through pregame workouts, including taking swings, to determine if he would be available to come off the bench on Tuesday.
“I think it’s possible, but I’ll wait till he actually gets in there,†Marmol said of Nootbaar’s status.
Nootbaar fouled a pitch off his left knee during his at-bat in the third inning of Monday’s game and remained in the game to take an at-bat in the fifth inning before being substituted out on defense to begin the sixth. X-rays done on Nootbaar’s knee Monday night came back negative, the Cardinals said.
Extra bases
After coming off the bench to deliver a pinch-hit game-winning RBI in the eighth inning Monday, Brendan Donovan returned to the Cardinals’ starting lineup at second base. The All-Star batted leadoff after he was scratched from a Saturday start and didn’t appear on Sunday vs. the Cubs.
The Cardinals signed outfielder Andrew Sojka to a minor league contract and assigned him to Class High-A Peoria. Sojka, 24, spent the previous two seasons with the Schaumburg Boomers in the independent Frontier League. A left-handed hitting outfielder who also appeared at third base in the Frontier League, Sojka batted .312 with a 1.006 OPS, 17 homers, and 16 doubles this year for the Boomers.
Post-Dispatch baseball writer Derrick Goold joined columnist Jeff Gordon to discuss Yadier Molina's visit to the Cardinals and how the team's revamped bullpen is shaping up.
