Sal Stewart Powers Reds with Clutch 11th-Inning Homer—Is MLB’s Newest Star Emerging?

CINCINNATI — Rookie third-baseman Sal Stewart added another line to his fast-growing legend on Wednesday night, blasting an 0-2 splitter from San Diego Padres closer Yuki Matsui into the left-field seats for a two-run homer in the 11th inning that sealed a 5-3 Cincinnati Reds victory and snapped the club’s five-game skid. The 22-year-old’s latest clutch swing pushed his June slash line to .362/.417/.681 and marked his seventh extra-base hit in the past eight games. Manager David Bell called the blast “a spark our entire clubhouse could feel,” while veterans Joey Votto and Elly De La Cruz greeted Stewart with a water-cooler shower that left the sell-out crowd at Great American Ball Park roaring. Stewart, selected 32nd overall in the 2022 draft, has surged from top-100 prospect to the heart of Cincinnati’s order in less than a calendar year. His 14 home runs and 42 RBI now lead all National League rookies, positioning him squarely in the early Rookie of the Year conversation and drawing comparisons to former Reds corner-infield stars Eugenio Suárez and Todd Frazier. Beyond the box score, Stewart’s improved pitch recognition has been pivotal: his chase rate has dropped from 28 percent in April to just 18 percent since May 15, a span during which the Reds are 13-6 when he reaches base multiple times. Analysts note that the right-hander’s compact swing plays in every ballpark, projecting 30-plus-homer seasons once he fully grows into his 6-foot-3 frame. For a Cincinnati club hovering near the top of the NL Central, Stewart’s emergence could be the difference between a wild-card berth and a division crown. The Reds wrap the three-game set with San Diego tomorrow before hosting the first-place Cubs this weekend—a series that suddenly feels like must-see baseball in the Queen City, thanks to the bat of Sal Stewart.