Cardinals' rookie JJ Wetherholt is back, but Sal Stewart has nothing to worry about

Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt returned from a wrist injury that sidelined him for 15 games, but his Rookie of the Year prospects have dimmed considerably. Reds first baseman Sal Stewart has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the award, leading all NL rookies with 157 hits, 31 home runs, and 108 RBIs across 152 games. While Wetherholt maintains the highest WAR among rookies at 4.3, Stewart's strong performance—particularly a .287/.335/.521 slash line after the All-Star break—has made him the favorite for the award heading into the season's final stretch.

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