This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CHICAGO -- After learning he was named National League Rookie of the Month on Monday, Sal Stewart was pleased, but the Reds first baseman was not quite thrilled. In fact, the 22-year-old was far from satisfied with his March/April for a guy who tore up the league.
That's because Stewart entered Monday in an 0-for-19 skid -- the longest of his brief big league career -- and still craved better results. He snapped the streak with a two-out first-inning single to left field vs. the Cubs that evening.
"I hold myself to a high standard," Stewart said before Monday's 5-4 loss. “I didn’t like how I finished the month. I feel like I left something on the table. This month, I want to get it together and stay focused on what’s more important.”
As the Reds try to find a consistent offensive identity that works beyond the production of No. 3 hitter Elly De La Cruz, contributions were pivotal for Cincinnati as it held at least a share of first place for about two weeks in the NL Central.
Although Stewart struck out only three times during his 0-fer, he felt like he didn't do enough to combat opposing pitchers' adjustments to him after his hot start to 2026.
“Pitchers were adjusting to me and I realized what they were doing, but I was just missing them. I was missing my pitches," Stewart said. "Obviously that happens. There’s going to be ups and downs and that’s the game. I feel like there’s things I needed to clean up and I feel like I work to do that. I want to get back on track and stick to who I am, which is [hitting] middle of the field.”
In 36 games entering Wednesday, Stewart is slashing .252/.335/.496 with nine homers and his 29 RBIs are tied for fourth in MLB. His numbers were higher before he entered a 4-for-36 slump with no RBIs.
Stewart's spray chart indeed shows the vast majority of his hits fall between left-center field and right-center field. He also hits the ball harder than most. His barrel rate this season is in the 95th percentile, according to Statcast.
That showed even when Stewart was hitless.
Making the final out in a 1-0 loss at Pittsburgh on Sunday, Stewart nearly hit a homer to left field but it was caught at the fence.
"It’s probably a home run at a lot of ballparks," manager Terry Francona said. "Day before, he lined out to right, the last at-bat. And guys go through periods where people are making pitches on him. They’re busting him hard inside. If they don’t get it there, they’re probably going to pay. It’s just the normal course of ups and downs over a season.”
Stewart often checks in with his South Florida friends and mentors, Padres third baseman Manny Machado and former Red Yonder Alonso.
“I call them every day and say, ‘Hey, what do you got? What do you see? How do you feel?’" Stewart said. "I talked to Yonder. He feels my swings look great right now. We’re not big analytics guys but I have a lot of balls over 100 [mph] that are outs. I’m hitting the ball hard, which is always good.
“I talk to Manny all the time and he’s always there for me. They’re helping me along and making sure I’m staying focused on the main goal.”
When Stewart debuted as a September call-up last season, he slugged five homers to lead the club over its final month. He quickly got used to adjustments being made for him.
“It’s a cat and mouse game and when I got called up last year, they approached me with something and I had to respond," Stewart said. "The start of the year, they approached me and I had to respond. Now they’re coming at me in a different way, I need to respond. That’s the game. That will always be the big leagues. That’s why it’s so difficult to play for so long. I understand I’ve got to make adjustments and I’ve got to be better.”