When MLB announced some of the new rules it was implementing for the 2023 season, the fantasy baseball world knew it was about to see a huge boost in stolen bases.

Eliminating the data from the shortened season in 2020, last year was the first time since 2014 in which stolen bases increased from one year to the next, and that total still wasn’t close to what it once had been. This season, MLB is already on pace to shatter records, and fantasy baseball managers need to take advantage now if they hope to win their leagues.

Through an average of just seven games played per team in 2023, there have been 128 stolen bases. Extrapolate that total over a 162-game season, and MLB is on-pace for almost 3,000 steals, a number that hasn’t been seen since 2012.

Over the past decade, fantasy managers could get away with one or two strong base-stealers to dominate the category, but with the raw numbers this season, fantasy rosters need an all-hands-on-deck mentality with regard to speed.

If you need to add speed to your roster, the best place to start is with the teams that are the most aggressive on the bases. Right now, the Orioles, Yankees, Guardians, Diamondbacks and Pirates sit atop the leaderboard for most steals and attempts per game. When you look at your waiver wire, these teams should take priority.

Few people were drafting Guardians outfielder Myles Straw or believing in Orioles shortstop Jorge Mateo, but with both of them in the top five for steals, faith has been restored. If they are still available, they are must-adds.

But while everyone begins fighting over the top names, you can gain a subtle edge just by looking deeper into the roster. In Arizona, Kyle Lewis and Alek Thomas may be battling for playing time in the outfield, but both have a speed element to their games that will continue to take shape as one earns more time over the other.

Pirates second baseman Ji Hwan Bae has seemingly taken the edge in playing time over Rodolfo Castro and already leads his team in steals. And don’t sleep on Orioles outfielder Austin Hays or Yankees middle infielders Anthony Volpe and Gleyber Torres.

The new rules of MLB are allowing the game to evolve in such a way that fantasy managers need to figure out how best to stay ahead of the curve. We used to seek out the 40-steal guy in an effort to augment our speed. Today, that role has reversed with the 40-homer bat. If you want to augment your power, grab Jorge Soler. If you want to win your leagues, find multiple players who can steal at least 10-12 bases each season.

Howard Bender is the head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy baseball advice.