How Stewart joined Reds royalty and became youngest since 1900 to do this
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CINCINNATI – In his first four games of 2026, Reds rookie Sal Stewart has shown himself to be prolific at reaching base safely.
During Monday's 2-0 win over the Pirates on Monday, the 22-year-old Stewart reached three more times in four plate appearances. He became the youngest player to reach base safely three or more times in each of his team’s first four games since at least 1900. Previously, no player under 24 had done it.
Stewart is also the fourth Reds player to achieve the feat during this span, joining Kal Daniels (1988), Joe Morgan ('75) and Ival Goodman ('37). Earlier in the day, Stewart was named National League Player of the Week after reaching 10 times in his first 13 plate appearances against Boston as Cincinnati claimed two of three in the series.
“He’s extremely confident," Reds manager Terry Francona said before Monday's game. "If I could hit like that, I would be too. But he backs it up. And he prepares really well. I think he should be.”
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On the heels of the honor against Pittsburgh, Stewart hit a two-out single to center field in the first inning and walked with one out in the fourth. He scored the go-ahead run from third base on Spencer Steer's sacrifice fly.
After he walked to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning, Stewart became the second Major League rookie since 1958 (when rookie rules were established) to reach at least three times in four games, joining Cleveland's Steven Kwan (2022).
Stewart is batting .667 with a 1.932 OPS, one home run, two RBIs and three runs scored. He is tied with the Angels' Mike Trout for the Major League lead by reaching 13 times in the young season.