Cincinnati Reds Sal Stewart is the Leader for NL Rookie of the Year

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart was 1 for 4 with a run scored in the Reds 8-2 loss at Washington on August 8th. While the Reds slipped to 56-60 on the season and probably won’t make the post season, Stewart’s play has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal campaign.

The Miami native is hitting .255 with 25 homers and 87 RBIs in 116 games this season. No other National League rookie is anywhere near Stewart in homers or RBIs. He’s second in RBIs in both the NL and the majors behind CJ Abrams of Washington.

Abrams drove in his 89th RBI in the Nationals win over the Reds, and is having a career year of his own. He’s hitting .288 with 28 homers and 89 RBIs. He’s already set career highs in home runs and RBIs, and is on track for career highs in batting average, on base percentage, and OPS, among other stats. The Nationals, at 58-61, are in the same boat as the Reds and probably won’t make the post season barring a real hot streak the rest of the way.

Highlights of the August 8th game: