Sal Stewart's historic Reds milestone should cement Rookie of the Year case

Sal Stewart of the Cincinnati Reds became the first Reds rookie since 1953 to record 100 RBIs in a season, achieving the milestone with a sacrifice fly against the Giants on Wednesday with more than a month remaining in the 2026 season. Stewart is only the eighth player this century to reach 100 RBIs as a rookie, joining an elite group that includes Albert Pujols, Aaron Judge, and Pete Alonso, five of whom won Rookie of the Year. Compared to his main competition, Cardinals rookie JJ Wetherholt, Stewart has a higher batting average (.263 to .245), significantly higher slugging percentage, more than double the RBIs, and 11 additional home runs. Only two other rookies in MLB history—Ted Williams and Jose Canseco—have been the first player to reach 100 RBIs in a season.

Summary written by MLB Feed Network based on the original reporting. How we write summaries