The Cincinnati Reds have been slogging through a miserable 2026 season. They’re dead last in the NL Central heading into the All-Star Break. But Wednesday night, something actually went right. Rookie infielder Sal Stewart launched two home runs against the Philadelphia Phillies, including one during a wild four-homer fourth inning for the Reds. The final score was 11-5, and for one night, Great American Ball Park actually felt fun again.
Stewart has been the one consistent bright spot in a lineup that’s struggled to score runs all year. His two-homer performance wasn’t just a personal highlight. It snapped a stretch where Cincinnati had lost seven of its previous nine games. The Reds needed a win like this, and Stewart gave it to them.
How Stewart turned his rookie year around
This is Stewart’s first full season in the big leagues, but he got a taste last year when the Reds called him up late. That short stint, he says, set the tone for everything that’s followed.
“I’m grateful to the Reds for calling me up last year. It kind of just set the tone for me,” Stewart told ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt. “I had to get back to work, I had to work on my body, I had to kind of realize, ‘Hey, I’m in the big leagues…’ This is my job. I gotta go out there and produce. This year, I was able to hit the ground running.”
And he has. Stewart is quietly building a strong case for National League Rookie of the Year. His consistency at the plate stands out on a team where not much else has gone right. He doesn’t just get hits. He gets big ones.
The Reds have a long way to go
One win doesn’t fix a season this ugly. The Reds have the worst record in their division and a lot of questions to answer after the break. But Stewart gives them something to build around. If he keeps hitting like this, maybe the second half won’t be a total write-off.
Cincinnati goes for the series win against Philadelphia on Thursday night. Stewart will be in the lineup. That alone gives fans a reason to watch.
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