Sal Stewart's Rookie of the Year chase runs through division foes

Cincinnati Reds fans should love Sal Stewart for saying the quiet part out loud. A rookie admitting he wants to win NL Rookie of the Year isn’t some selfish confession — it’s an honesty check.

Everyone in that clubhouse has personal goals, even if they dress them up in the safer language. Stewart just skipped the dance. He wants hardware. He wants to matter. And in a season where Cincinnati is trying to climb back into the NL Central fight, “wanting ROY” is basically another way of saying that he plans on being unavoidable. 

Of course, he immediately followed it with the right disclaimer — helping the team comes first. But that’s not a contradiction. It’s the point. If Stewart is seriously in the Rookie of the Year conversation, it probably means the Reds got exactly what they need from him: a real, everyday spark who swings games.

Reds rookie Sal Stewart’s ROY dream comes with a loud division reality

Here’s the twist that makes this chase fun and annoying at the same time: the road runs straight through the division.

The NL Central isn’t exactly famous for letting Cincinnati breathe. Even if the Reds are good, the other teams will make it feel like the walls are moving. The National League Rookie of the Year race might follow the same script. Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin is the kind of talent that turns prospect hype into nightly highlights, and St. Louis has JJ Wetherholt — a name that already sounds like it belongs on a lineup card that ruins your weekend.

And that’s the part Reds fans shouldn’t gloss over. Stewart isn’t just trying to beat out a random collection of rookies scattered across the league. He’s trying to win a trophy while two divisional enemies are capable of hijacking the conversation at any moment.

So Stewart’s chase has to account for both. If Griffin turns games into highlight reels, Stewart has to be just as loud. And if Wetherholt becomes the steady Cardinals cog, Stewart has to outshine him. The Reds are at their best when they play fast, bold, and a little chaotic. Stewart fits that mold if he leans into it.

Stewart’s path to ROY isn’t just about outshining the rest of the league. It’s about surviving a neighborhood where rivals get extra joy out of stepping on your momentum.

The Reds don’t need Stewart to win an award to have a good season. But if he’s chasing Rookie of the Year deep into September, it’ll probably mean Cincinnati’s chase is alive too — and the rest of the NL Central is going to feel every bit of it.