The Reds and Cardinals just finished their five-game set, and the rookie race that sat underneath it all only got louder. Sal Stewart and JJ Wetherholt both put their talent on display, and now the National League Rookie of the Year conversation has turned into a full-on tug-of-war between two fan bases.
That battle, though, is really headed for the BBWAA ballot. Thirty members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America will make the call before the start of the MLB Postseason, and the winner will be the one who gets the votes that matter.
There’s plenty of room to argue Stewart’s case, but the bigger issue for Cincinnati is what happens if he doesn’t come out on top. The Reds have a real incentive tied to this award, and it could cost them if the vote breaks Wetherholt’s way.
The reason is the Prospective Promotion Incentive, a system created in the most recent Collective Bargaining Agreement to push teams to bring up top prospects sooner and cut down on service-time games. For players, the payoff is straightforward: they reach the majors earlier, start their arbitration clock, and begin earning big-league money. For clubs, the reward is a draft pick.
If a rookie gets one year of service time and finishes in the top tier of a major postseason award, the team can land an extra pick after Round 1. For MVP and Cy Young, a top-three finish is enough as long as the player qualifies.
Rookie of the Year works differently. There, only the winner triggers the pick.
That means the Reds and Cardinals are playing for more than a trophy. Since Stewart and Wetherholt both meet the criteria, the November announcement will decide which organization gets the added draft bonus.
For Cincinnati, that matters. With the current state of the farm system, an extra pick could be a real boost - one more shot at adding a bat or an arm to the pipeline next July.
In Other News...
Even In Last Place The Reds Still Have Two Must Watch Stories
For a Reds club that has spent much of the year buried by inconsistency, the most compelling part of the season may be what is happening around the edges of the standings. Cincinnatis lineup has struggled to produce and the pitching staff has dealt with the sort of high strikeout and walk rates that usually go hand in hand with a frustrating summer, but even in a lost season there is still real individual intrigue. Rookie Sal Stewart has forced his way into the National League Rookie of the Year conversation, giving the organization a jolt of hope it can build on.
The other name to keep an eye on is Chase Burns, whose work on the mound has put him in the mix for Cy Young consideration. For a team sitting in last place with a difficult stretch still ahead, those are the kinds of developments that matter beyond the day-to-day results. The standings have already told one story about Cincinnati, but Stewart and Burns have made sure the season is not over from a watching standpoint. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Fans Just Got A New Reason To Debate Nick Krall
The Astros and general manager Dana Brown mutually parted ways before the 2026 season, a surprising reset for a club that was still competitive in the AL West. For Reds fans, the move lands as more than a distant front-office note. It is another reminder that teams do not always wait for a collapse before deciding they need a different voice at the top, especially when expectations and results have drifted apart.
That is why Nick Kralls name keeps coming back into the conversation in Cincinnati. Promoted in 2023, the Reds president of baseball operations has not met performance expectations, and a disappointing 2026 season has only sharpened the scrutiny around the job. The Astros decision offers a clean comparison point, and it leaves open a question Reds fans know well: how much patience is left before the organization decides its own leadership needs a change? [Read more 🡒]
Reds Just Reached A Difficult Crossroads With Noelvi Marte
Noelvi Marte is headed back to Triple-A after another rough stretch at the plate, a move that underscores how quickly his standing with the Reds has slipped. In 63 games, the 23-year-old posted a .189/.229/.321 line, production that never gave Cincinnati much reason to keep waiting for a turnaround as the season wore on.
Terry Francona did not sugarcoat the situation, calling Marte a "broken player" and stressing that he needs to play with more urgency. The demotion is the latest checkpoint in a frustrating pattern for Marte, who had already been sent down earlier this season and has now spent multiple years trying to stabilize his performance at the major league level. [Read more 🡒]