Athletics outfielder Yoenis Cespedes has been caught stealing twice in his last four games and is now just 2 for 7 on stolen-base attempts in 2013. Cespedes was 16 of 20 on stolen-base attempts last season.
"It's just kind of a tough stretch for him right now," manager Bob Melvin said Sunday, per the San Francisco Chronicle. "Just like hitting sometimes, you go through some good streaks and some bad streaks. ... He had a couple of mishaps and some injuries on the bases, and at times you'll back off a little bit because you want to stay healthy, maybe a little trepidation at times. But he has the ability, as we've seen, to run the bases very well and steal some bases, and he will more so as we get going here."
Cespedes is batting .247 (20 for 81) with one triple, three home runs, six doubles and 11 RBI in his last 20 games.