Putting Sal Stewart's historic Reds rookie season into historical context

Sal Stewart isn’t just good, he’s on pace for a historic rookie season we haven’t seen in quite some time. And it might be even crazier he’s doing this on a winning Cincinnati Reds team. You’d have to go back to 2019 for the last rookie to have at least eight home runs and at least 23 RBIs before May — spoiler: it was Pete Alonso. Then it was Jose Abreu before that and Albert Pujols before that. 

That’s great company to be in. Stewart could plaster himself all over record books this season if he continues swinging a scorching bat. All three of those players that Stewart just joined all won rookie of the year. If that’s Stewart’s future then the Reds just might be good for a long time. 

How Sal Stewart is putting together one of the best rookie seasons in recent history

Don’t look now but Sterwart is on pace for 53 home runs this year, that would tie a rookie record for home runs in a season – you guess it, Pete Alonso holds that record. Stewart is slashing .303/.398/.626 with a 1.025 OPS. Stewart is consistently bringing offense to this Reds team. Their offense was dormant on Sunday, but has otherwise been on point to start 2026. It’s hard to struggle when you have two youngsters with nine home runs a month into the season. 

This series featured two players atop the rookie standings in baseball. Stewart proved he’s just that good this year and if he continues to shine, show just how important he is to the Reds’ success this year and beyond.

Why Sal Stewart’s historic rookie season is more than just early stardom

The home run and RBI are the only eye-popping numbers that are already solidifying Stewart’s rookie of the year campaign. He also leads all NL rookies in home runs, RBIs, hits, stolen bases and total bases. This could be a one-off, but if it’s not, this is more than an early look at stardom. This is the look of a future franchise star in Cincinnati. Stewart’s stats would be intriguing, but they’re not nearly as riveting as the fact that he’s raking on a winning team. 

The Cincinnati Reds fell to 18-10 after a loss the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. His blossoming career could not have come at a better time for the Reds after last year’s late-season surge for the playoffs. Yes, they were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the wild card round, but it’s a step in the right direction. Now they’re building to being a team that turns into a contender and every contender needs a star. 

Elly De La Cruz has held that title for quite some time, understandably, and he’ll still be a pivotal player in any success the Reds have, but Stewart is quickly becoming a star. Without overreacting, this could be the recipe for the Reds taking down the juggernaut Dodgers. They seem impossible, but a rising team with a rising star is always a dangerous matchup. 

Why the Reds’ future hinges on Sal Stewart’s success

This same hype the Reds have with Stewart, they’ve had with De La Cruz. Both players are exceptional offensive players. Despite Javier Baez robbing De La Cruz of a base hit on a ball hit at 115.3 mph, Saturday was another showing of why he still matters to this team, even with Stewart quickly becoming the face of this team. Stewart isn’t just bringing hype to a struggling team though, he’s showing he’s a real difference maker. 

If he becomes the new face of this team and face of the National League, the Reds will have no choice but to turn into contenders. We’ve seen a lot of smaller market teams lose stars to the big spenders. The Detroit Tigers are the perfect example of a team that killed its championship window by not building around their ace. The Reds have to use this season as proof that it’s time to become legit again.

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