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Sal Stewart Breaks Reds Rookie RBI Mark
By Smacktok
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Sal Stewart broke the Cincinnati Reds' single-season rookie RBI record on Friday, driving in two runs and hitting his 29th home run in a 10-8 win at Wrigley Field. CBS Sports and StatMuse had him at 2-for-4 with a walk and two runs scored, lifting his season RBI total to 102. Reuters flagged the franchise rookie mark in its game wrap. Two nights earlier he had tied Jim Greengrass' 1953 record of 100 with a sacrifice fly in a 10-9 win at San Francisco, WKRC reported.
Tyler Stephenson's three-run homer and Elly De La Cruz's two RBIs (3-for-5) stacked the damage. Jose Trevino and TJ Friedl also went deep. Stewart, 22, now owns the Reds rookie RBI record outright and still leads the majors in RBIs.
What is Sal Stewart's RBI record?
102 and counting, past Greengrass' 100 from 1953. WKRC noted he was the first MLB rookie to reach 100 RBIs since Pete Alonso's 120 for the Mets in 2019, and one of only seven rookies this century to hit that mark (with Albert Pujols, Hideki Matsui, Ryan Zimmerman, Jose Abreu, Aaron Judge, and Alonso). He is the first rookie to lead the majors in RBIs this late since Walt Dropo in 1950.
Friday's blast was home run No. 29. WKRC had him on pace for about 34 homers and 121 RBIs before the Cubs series. Alonso's 120 would be the 21st-century rookie RBI high if Stewart holds the pace. Ted Williams' 145 in 1939 remains the all-time rookie bar.
How the Reds beat the Cubs 10-8
Slugfest, not a pitchers' duel. De La Cruz set the table. Stewart and Stephenson cleared it. Chicago scratched back, but Cincinnati's middle of the order kept answering. Search traffic writes itself: Sal Stewart RBI record, Stewart Reds, Reds vs Cubs score. Friday delivered all three before most West Coast lineups even stretched.
Stewart already owns several Reds rookie firsts this year (19 homers before the break past Frank Robinson, multiple six-RBI games, fastest to 50 RBIs). The RBI crown is the headline that travels. Elsewhere on the board, Chris Sale's shutout of the Dodgers was Thursday's pitching story. Friday belonged to Stewart's bat.
Sal Stewart RBI record FAQ
Did Sal Stewart break the Reds rookie RBI record? Yes. Friday's two RBIs pushed him to 102, past Jim Greengrass' 100 from 1953.
What was the Reds vs Cubs score? Cincinnati won 10-8 at Wrigley on Aug. 28, 2026.
How many home runs does Stewart have? 29 after Friday's shot, per the CBS Sports box.
