Elly De La Cruz is still the Reds' star but Sal Stewart is changing the story

One of the big questions facing the Cincinnati Reds in 2026 was whether or not Elly De La Cruz would take the next step and emerge as a true superstar. There might not be a player in the league who is more naturally talented than De La Cruz, though there have been parts of his game that have needed polishing if he is to become a true superstar.

Going into last season, fans were hoping to see De La Cruz improve against left-handed pitching. The young switch-hitter has clearly been weaker while batting right-handed, negating much of his versatility. That didn't happen, as he hit just .236/.276/.342 against southpaws in 2025.

Now, though, he's made some adjustments, and it's paying off. Big time. Now the 24-year-old is hitting .353/.389/.824 while batting right-handed. That's not all, though. Paul Hembekides broke down three distinct things that De La Cruz is doing better this season that he has at any point in his career previously.

He's increased his bat speed and improved his angles while batting right-handed. He's tweaked his stance and shortened his swing when hitting left-handed. And finally, in the field his harnessed his cannon of a throwing arm to avoid the pesky throwing errors that have plagued his career when he unnecessarily tries to show off the gun.

Reds' stars Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart will be MVP candidates

De La Cruz has been fantastic so far this season. Through 29 games, he's hitting .291/.362/.590 with 10 homers and eight steals. He leads all National League position players with 1.7 fWAR. He's been so sensational that Chase Burns called him ridiculous and "the best player in the world."

Yet, he might not even be the best player on his own team. While Cincinnati has its share of offensive issues, rookie Sal Stewart has been as good or better. RBIs are no longer one of baseball's glamour stats, but Stewart now has the most (29) for a rookie 22 or younger before May 1 in MLB history. That's a list that includes Albert Pujols, Juan Soto, and Miguel Cabrera. Regardless of the stat, that's some serious company.

Offensively, Stewart has matched or bettered De La Cruz in every category. He's played 29 games and is slashing .290/.381/.598 with nine homers. It's eerie how similar their lines are. Stewart's start has been so remarkable that it could set him up to make history as the first National Leaguer to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

If he fails in that endeavor, it could be because De La Cruz stood in the way of his NL MVP chase. What Stewart is doing as a rookie is so fantastic that it's overshadowing the fact that De La Cruz is starting to emerge as an upper-echelon superstar in the entire MLB.

With two studs of this caliber under 25, the Reds are set up incredibly well for the future. In the present, they need some help. The rest of the lineup has been dormant for much of the season, though Nathaniel Lowe's recent surge might represent a turning point.

If the Reds are going to get where they want to go, and if De La Cruz and Stewart are to get the national attention they deserve, the supporting cast will need to step up. If not, the team and these two budding stars in particular will be passed by.

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