Can Sal Stewart Catch JJ Wetherholt? Reds Rookie Is Heating Up Again

After a rather slow start to the month of June, Reds infielder Sal Stewart has returned to his NL Rookie of the Year candidate form. He has been both consistent, spraying the ball all over the field with singles and getting on base, while also showing his power, as seen in a three-run home run in Cincinnati’s Game 2 win over the Mets.

Stewart has hits in four straight games and in seven of his last nine contests. He told reporters after Tuesday’s win that he feels he is on the doorstep of figuring it out with the adjustments he has made. Stewart is making a concerted effort not to over- or under-swing at the plate.

The Reds rookie got off to a scorching start this season, winning NL Rookie of the Month honors in March and April while hitting .281 with nine home runs. Stewart has done a good job of handling the peaks and valleys of his first full season in MLB, finding some consistency and never being completely deterred by struggles.

In the NL Rookie of the Year race, St. Louis Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt is currently the betting favorite to win the award. He is hitting .259 with 10 home runs, and over his last 10 games, he is hitting .315. If Stewart can maintain his current offensive production, he will shorten the gap between himself and Wetherholt. That would likely also correspond with the Reds closing the gap between themselves and the other four teams in the NL Central, as they currently sit in last place in the division and 10.5 games behind first place.

We’ve discussed how much Cincinnati’s power numbers have increased from last season, as the Reds are on pace to hit more than 40 additional home runs compared to 2025. Stewart has been a big part of that, and given Eugenio Suarez’s tendency to focus on power, you would think there is a certain water-finds-its-level scenario with Suarez that, paired with Stewart’s abilities at the plate, should lead to more run production for the Reds.

For now, Cincinnati will continue to count on Stewart, who is far and away the Reds’ most talented hitter on the roster, as he has made obvious over the past four months. Cincinnati has not had a player win Rookie of the Year since Jonathan India did so in 2021. Stewart is Cincinnati’s best chance.

The Reds begin a road series against the New York Yankees on Friday night.