Why Reds Shouldn't Be Worried About Sal Stewart's Recent Struggles

Sal Stewart has struggled for the last week, but Reds fans shouldn't be too worried.

Mar 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) high fives teammates after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

The Cincinnati Reds got off to a very fast start this season, leading the National League Central after the month of April, but they've struggled for the first few games in May.

Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz have been the best two players in the lineup for the Reds this season. De La Cruz has looked like a potential MVP candidate, while Stewart has seemed like one of the favorites for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

While these two have been the best players in the Reds' lineup, Stewart has struggled quite a bit for the last week. He's slumping for the first time in his short big league career and it seems like the fans are beginning to worry.

Sal Stewart Has Struggled This Week

Apr 20, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) slides into third base in the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

After slashing .303/.398/.626 through April 25, Stewart has gone 2-for-23 over his last six games. He has one double, two runs scored, and no RBI in that timespan. His wOBA and xwOBA also rank near the bottom of the league in that time.

His bat speed over that time period is only 68 miles per hour, while his max exit velocity is only 104.8 miles per hour. He's not hitting the ball nearly as well as he did for the first month of the season. To make matters worse, he's not walking as much, either.

Reds fans are beginning to panic, but they shouldn't be too worried.

Reds Fans Shouldn't Be Too Worried About Sal Stewart

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) checks in with manager Terry Francona (77) after scoring in the eighth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, April 30, 2026. The Reds won 6-4. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There are growing pains with every player in MLB history. Stewart isn't an exception. He came to the league and was able to punish fastballs on the outer half while staying on time to crush mistake-breaking pitches. But this leaves a hole in his approach to fastballs on the inner half, which has been exploited for the last week.

But as quickly as the pitchers have adjusted to Stewart's approach, he will have the chance to adjust back.

He's still not striking out at a crazy high rate. Over the last week, his average exit velocity is over 90 miles per hour.

It's hard to imagine he was going to hit .330 with 50 home runs this year. That's what he was on pace for. Some regression should have been expected.

Once he adjusts and begins punishing fastballs on the inner half, the Reds will have their cleanup hitter back at his best.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds! Follow Cincinnati Reds OnSI on Twitter/X: @RedsTalkSI. Like Our Cincinnati Reds On SI Facebook Page. Follow Cincinnati Reds On SI on Instagram.