Reds pitching staff must protect Sal Stewart before things gets ugly

Sal Stewart was hit in the head by a 92 mph fastball from White Sox pitcher Davis Martin on Thursday, leading to an ejection and a bench-clearing incident. Reds manager Terry Francona believed the pitch was intentional, calling it "extremely blatant" after Cincinnati's 9-8 victory. The article argues the Reds' pitching staff should retaliate to protect Stewart, though doing so would risk ejecting their starter during a demanding stretch of 18 games in 17 days. Stewart, who hit a home run off Martin earlier in the game, has been hit by pitches multiple times this season, prompting concerns about his safety.

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