CINCINNATI (WXIX) – MILWAUKEE — Before the start of September, Sal Stewart had played in two games in his life at first base. He had never come off the bench for a meaningful stretch of games. He had never faced a pitcher like Paul Skenes.
For the most part, those have been the situations that Stewart has been in this month. He has made nine of his 13 stats in the big leagues at first base, he has three pinch-hit at-bats (he’s 0-for-3) and his only start over the last week was against Skenes as the Reds wanted to get another impact bat in the lineup.
“I’ve always played every day,” Stewart said. “That’s what I’m accustomed to. I use the flow to the game in my at-bats. Coming off the bench, it’s different. I call it another tool in my tool box. If I can get this better, I can help the team win.”
One of the big takeaways that the 21-year-old has from his first month in the big leagues is how different the routines are for different players. A recent area of focus for Stewart has been toward what he can do to make a bigger impact in his pinch-hit at-bats. He has spent time talking with Miguel Andujar and Santiago Espinal as Andujar develops his own pinch-hit approach.
“It’s new to me, but new doesn’t mean that I can’t adapt and find a way,” Stewart said. “I’ve got to figure out a way. I’ve got to figure out a way to get that done, and I will. I’m continuing to ask around to better my preparation for my at-bats. I’m trying everything I can to try to help contribute the help the team in that aspect.”
During games that he’s not starting, you can typically find Stewart stationed right next to assistant coach Mike Napoli on the Reds bench. Napoli was an All-Star first baseman, and Napoli is able to guide Stewart through what he could do as they see specific situations play out during the game.
“He has helped me hitting wise, mental wise, defense wise,” Stewart said. “If I have any questions, I can go to him. He tells me to just learn and pay attention to the game. I’ve had more time to just watch because I’ve been coming off the bench a little more. I’ve been paying attention and watching the game. These guys are all great players. I can watch a lot so when the time comes, I’m ready to go.”
On the whole, Stewart is hitting .235 with a .768 OPS, including four homers. While his OPS is solid, he’s striking out and chasing at a higher rate than his Triple-A scouting report would suggest.
It feels a lot like the first month that Spencer Steer had in the big leagues back in September of 2022.
“(Stewart) is very polished for being as young as he is,” hitting coach Chris Valaika said. “Historically, in his time in the Minor Leagues, the way he has controlled the zone. He has done a good job here. That’s something he’ll continue to grow with with experience as he gets settled in. He’s a very confident kid. That’s going to help carry him as he goes through this evolution. As the league adjusts to him, he has to adjust back to the league, and I have no concerns he’s going to be able to do it.”
While it’s been a quieter September on the whole for Stewart, he provided big hits in pivotal wins over the Mets and Cardinals earlier this month. When he gets opportunities as a pinch-hitter, they’re in a spot where the Reds are really looking for a rally. Even if he’s not in the lineup every day, he’s going to get his chances this weekend to turn things around.
Stewart is focused on being prepared for that moment, whatever the situation looks like.
“The results haven’t been what I’ve wanted yet,” Stewrat said. “But I’m continuing to learn every day to build my preparation and give myself the best chance to compete each time (Terry Francona) calls my name.”
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