Sal Stewart’s August was the kind of month that makes an award feel almost inevitable.
The Cincinnati Reds infielder was named National League Rookie of the Month for August, giving him the honor for the second time this season. He also took home the award to open the year after his April performance.
Stewart put together a clean, loud month at the plate. He batted .304 in August, and the combination of his seven walks and two hit by pitches with his 35 hits produced a .349 on-base percentage.
He also slugged .530 thanks to eight home runs and two doubles. In 29 games, he drove in 21 runs and scored 21 more for the Reds.
He finished especially hot. Stewart went 14-for-39 over the final nine games of the month and posted an OPS of 1.073 in that stretch, including homering in three straight games from the 28th through the 30th.
That burst only added to what has been a huge season overall. Stewart now leads the league in both RBI and games played, with 105 RBI and 31 home runs. That puts him in rare air: he became just the 14th rookie all time to reach the 30-homer, 100-RBI mark in the same season.
He has also chipped in 25 doubles and 12 stolen bases in 16 attempts. After his strong August, his season line now sits at .266/.336/.485.
Among National League rookies, Stewart’s 31 home runs are comfortably out in front. JJ Weatherholt is next with 17.
His RBI total has been just as overwhelming. Stewart’s 105 lead the league overall, and among rookies, TJ Rumfield of the Colorado Rockies is second with 64.
Only two other rookies have reached 50 RBI.
And among rookies with at least 300 plate appearances, Stewart is also the pace-setter in slugging percentage at .485.
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Reds Seem Ready To Add A Speed Threat But One Hurdle Remains
Carlos Jorge appears to be on the cusp of joining the Reds, with a broadcaster reporting the defensive-minded outfielder has been called up even though the move has not been made official. A player valued for his speed and glove, Jorge has built a reputation in the minors as a threat once he gets on base, giving Cincinnati the kind of athletic depth teams often chase as the season wears on.
The fit is easy to understand for a Reds club that can use another rangy outfielder and a little more pop in the running game. The only thing standing between Jorge and an actual debut with the big-league club is the paperwork of roster management, since Cincinnati would need to clear space on both the 40-man and 26-man rosters before the move can become official. [Read more 🡒]
Reds May Already Have A New Infielder Fans Need To Watch
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Lebrons offensive production has been encouraging enough to put him on the radar as one of the systems better young infield options, even if the evaluation is not perfectly clean yet. The swing still draws some questions, and the strikeout rate is part of the conversation, but the raw appeal is obvious enough that the Reds are watching closely. For a club trying to build depth around its young core, a developing shortstop with this kind of upside is exactly the sort of player that can become a bigger part of the picture faster than expected. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Suddenly Have A September Audition Worth Watching Closely
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Britos week stood out even more when he launched his first major league home run and added a stolen base in the same series, the kind of all-around flash that can make a late-season look matter more than the calendar suggests. For a club thinking ahead as much as it is trying to finish strong, these are the auditions worth monitoring, especially with Brito potentially in the conversation for the offseason roster and Williamson trying to show he can still be part of the pitching picture. [Read more 🡒]