The Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart continues to blow people away with his historic start to the season. In the series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, Stewart helped carry his team to its 15th win of the season after another excellent game at the plate. The Reds beat the Rays 6-1.
At the top of the first inning, Stewart hit a two run home run.
He said, “I was just looking for a pitch that I could hit, trying to put together a good at-bat. Worked to my favor. I’m happy with the day. I’m happy that our team won and happy that we’re keeping this thing rolling.”
However, Stewart was not content after that home run. In the seventh inning, he hit a double and then stole third. He scored after Trevor Martin threw a wild pitch.
Stewart said, “I saw the opportunity there. I’m always a proponent of trying to take the extra base. It gives our team a better chance to win.”
Reds Manager Terry Francona gave Stewart a hard time after the game.
Francona said, “We were in the dugout laughing. I’m like, I didn’t send him. All of a sudden, there’s a wild pitch so it turns out to be very good. Just can’t ever get thrown out there and I’ll remind him of that about seven times tomorrow.”
Stewart’s Historic Start
GettySal Stewart is currently the favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year.
After 23 games, Stewart bats .289/.388/.639 with eight home runs and five stolen bases. He ranks among the best hitters in the game in most categories.
Baseball experts and betting odds currently have Stewart as the favorite to win NL Rookie of the Year. He sits at +150 on BetMGM.
Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com gave gargantuan praise for the rookie.
He said, “This is the early favorite. It’s not just impact — but loud impact. The guy hit a pair of three-run homers in the same game. Before the end of the second inning! That’s loud.”
So far, Stewart’s only competition for the award seems to be Nolan McLean of the New York Mets. However, Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Andrew Painter of the Philadelphia Phillies, and JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals are all names to keep in mind as potential candidates down the line.
Stewart a Bright Spot in a Struggling Lineup
GettyThe Cincinnati Reds have a lot to improve upon offensive despite their hot start.
Despite the 15-6 start for the Reds, their offense has been one of the worst in the MLB so far this season. Per Fangraphs, they have the worst offensive production so far in the league.
However, a lot of their struggles could be attributed to bad luck as they are also last in batting average of balls in play (BABIP). That means when balls are put into play after contact, they are not falling down for hits regardless of the power put on the ball.
Players like Spencer Steer and Tyler Stephenson are hitting the ball the hardest in their career thus far and are not seeing any benefit for that. Steer has a barrel% in the 91st percentile. Stephenson’s average exit velocity is in the 99th percentile.
Although, bad luck will be difficult to overcome for someone like TJ Friedl who is not hitting the ball hard at all right now. His batting metrics are extremely concerning, ranking towards the bottom in most categories.
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