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Reds' slugger Sal Stewart has a bigger threat to Rookie of the Year than JJ Wetherholt

Move over, JJ.
ByAbigail Miskowiec|
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Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) fouls off a pitch in the seventh inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Athletics at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. The Reds completed a sweet of the Athletics with a 6-5 win.
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) fouls off a pitch in the seventh inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Athletics at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026. The Reds completed a sweet of the Athletics with a 6-5 win. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The National League Rookie of the Year contest has been a two-horse race for much of the season. Sal Stewart’s brawn against JJ Wetherholt’s balanced attack. The latter’s second-half slump should have cleared the way for the Reds rookie to take home the award, but a new contender is fast gaining on Stewart. New York Mets outfielder Carson Benge could ride a post-All-Star surge to the NL Rookie of the Year.

Benge has been unstoppable in the second half of the season. Since the All-Star break, he’s hitting .319/.369/.504, and is closing in on a 20-20 season. On top of that, he has one of the best right-field arms in baseball. Still, if the Rookie of the Year celebrates the most consistently outstanding rookie performance, the award should be Stewart’s.

Sal Stewart is fending off a push for Rookie of the Year from Mets outfielder Carson Benge

Stewart leads all NL rookies in home runs, hits, and RBI. His .808 OPS is tied with Colorado’s TJ Rumfield for most among NL rookies who have played at least 70 games.

While Stewart’s power has lagged a bit in the summer months, he is still making strong contact. Entering play on August 24, he’s hitting .299 for the month, his best mark this season. Stewart ranks well against non-rookies also, as his 98 RBI lead the majors.

To some extent, it's unfair to judge Stewart, Wetherholt, and Benge by the same metrics. Stewart is the classic slugging corner infielder who gets little credit for his defense. (Surprisingly, he has stolen 12 bases so far this year.) Wetherholt is a middle infielder in the mold of Bobby Witt Jr., who can change the game with his glove, his bat, or his legs. Benge seems to be coming into his own as a Ronald Acuna Jr.-esque right fielder.

The Reds, Cardinals, and Mets are fading from the playoff picture, so no points can be gained there. It may come down, then, to which of these players is most valuable to his team. Stewart has been responsible for either scoring or driving in more than 25% of Cincinnati’s runs this year, far outstripping his competitors.

Furthermore, Stewart has played in every single Reds game this season. Barring a late-season collapse, he should pull away as the frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year.

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