Sal Stewart added another line to a rookie season that’s already carved out its own place in Reds history on Saturday at Wrigley Field.
The 22-year-old delivered his 30th home run of the year in the top of the third inning against the Cubs, a two-run shot to left-center off Kevin Gausman that trimmed Chicago’s four-run lead to two. It was the kind of swing that keeps turning an already memorable first season into something rare.
With that blast, Stewart became only the second rookie in Reds franchise history to reach 30 homers in a season. The first was Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, who hit 38 in 1956.
Stewart also sits at a Major League-leading 104 RBIs, making him the only rookie in Cincinnati history to post a 30-homer, 100-RBI season. He set another club mark on Friday, when he passed Jim Greengrass’s 100 RBIs from 1953 for the most by a Reds rookie.
If Stewart finishes the year atop the RBI leaderboard, he’d join Ted Williams in 1939 and Walt Dropo in 1950 as the only rookies to do that.
The broader company is just as striking. There have been 14 rookies in Major League history to produce a 30-homer, 100-RBI season, and the last nine to do it since the Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1947 all won the honor. In the Wild Card era, the previous four to reach that mark were Pete Alonso in 2019, Aaron Judge in 2017, José Abreu in 2014, and Albert Pujols in 2001.
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Edwin Arroyo Just Got A Reds Chance That Could Change The Infield
Edwin Arroyo is back in the big leagues with another opening to make a case for himself, and this one comes at an important moment for the Reds infield. Cincinnati recalled the infielder from Triple-A Louisville after KeBryan Hayes landed on the injured list, giving the club a fresh option to help cover third base and possibly reset a position that has been in flux.
Arroyo has played well at Louisville, but his first major league look did not go smoothly, with struggles on both sides of the ball. Even so, Terry Francona sounded interested in seeing what the young infielder can do with a more defined opportunity this time around, and the Reds are expected to give him a look at third base as they sort through the next stretch without Hayes. [Read more 🡒]
Joey Votto Just Gave Reds Fans A Reason To Show Up At Wrigley
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Votto has been a compelling voice in his post-playing appearances, using previous NBC broadcasts to talk about everything from his career to never having visited the National Baseball Hall of Fame. He also addressed questions about whether he might eventually work for the Reds on MLB Networks MLB Now, which only adds another layer to what should be a notable night for Cincinnati fans watching from the ballpark. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Just Made A Telling Kien Vu Decision After His Bat Cooled Off
The Reds moved Kien Vu from Double-A Chattanooga back to High-A Dayton after an injury to outfielder Kyle Henley opened up a spot, a reset that says plenty about where the organization thinks Vu stands right now. He had earned his way up with a strong run in Dayton earlier this season, but the bat never fully carried over in Chattanooga, and the return trip gives him a chance to get back to the level where he looked far more comfortable.
It also fits into a broader player-development picture for Cincinnati, with the club still sorting through the next wave in its Dominican Summer League and keeping an eye on prospects who could be headed stateside soon. For Vu, the assignment is less about a setback than a chance to rediscover the approach and production that pushed him forward in the first place, even if the road back to Double-A now looks a little longer. [Read more 🡒]