It takes a lot to truly humble and awe Sal Stewart, but the moments immediately after he’d been named to the 2026 MLB All-Star Game just about rendered him speechless.
“I’m so grateful. I’m so blessed,” Stewart said. “This is a dream come true for me. When I started the season, obviously everyone wants to be an All-Star, but I’m young. … I’m obviously shocked because I just didn’t expect this, honestly.”
Then, when asked about sharing the All-Star Game experience with fellow Cincinnati Reds rising star, starting pitcher Chase Burns, Stewart seemed to be released from the wonder and shock of the moment. A smirk returned to his face, and his usual animated expressions were restored as Stewart nodded toward Burns’ locker near the middle of the clubhouse.
“He’s not too shabby,” Stewart said.
Burns expressed comparable reverence for Stewart when asked about making the trip to Philadelphia for the Midsummer Classic with him.
“Yeah, especially Sal. If anyone knows Sal, he’s gonna be ecstatic,” said Burns, who is in Philadelphia but will not play in the game because of injury (groin). “It’s gonna be fun, and I’m glad I get to go with Sal.”
The Reds hit the All-Star break, the unofficial midway point in the baseball season, in disappointing fashion. A crucial nine-game homestand leading into the break saw them go 3-6, dropping the club to 43-52 and a season-worst nine games under .500.
As Cincinnati players, coaches and executives scattered for the break, it felt fitting that Stewart and Burns would continue on to Philadelphia for some deserved time in the national sports spotlight. Not only were they the clear standout players from the first half of a frustrating season, but they’re a pair of younger stars within an already-young Reds core − a youth movement within a youth movement.
In that way, Stewart, 22, and Burns, 23, are likely leading the next wave of star power in a Reds organization sifting through a core of players that formed during the thrilling 2023 season.
Stewart and Burns are also close friends − something that became known more widely as the reality of the shared All-Star experience manifested.
“He’s one of my best friends,” Stewart said of Burns. “He’s honestly the best. … We’ll enjoy it (the All-Star Game) together. Hopefully, we’ll have a lot as Reds together, and we can go a lot more times.”
The relationship accelerated during several months when their careers overlapped in Double-A Chattanooga. At that point, approximately from late April through mid-June 2025, both players were in the midst of what turned out to be relatively short stays in the Reds’ minor league system.
They were both on fast tracks to the Reds’ big-league roster. Burns’ big league debut was June 24, 2025. Stewart started a rapid ascension through the minor-league system and was gaining notoriety among Cincinnati fans. By Sept. 1, he’d reached the end of his line in the minors, too, and was up with the Reds.
Burns indicated it was hard to believe he and Stewart had so quickly progressed to this point in their careers.
“Not a shot. Like I said, I never thought I’d be an MLB All-Star,” Burns said. “Maybe I thought I’d make it here a little bit further down the road, but not in my first full season. It’s just an awesome experience for both of us and I can’t wait.”
Both players made immediate impressions in their respective debuts and haven’t looked back. Burns, facing a vaunted New York Yankees lineup that went on to win 94 games, struck out a trio of hitters that included Trent Grisham, Ben Rice and Aaron Judge.
In Stewart’s debut against the eventual American League champion Toronto Blue Jays, he singled on the fifth pitch he saw from pitcher Chris Bassitt.
In 2026, Burns is 11-1 with a 2.54 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP, which ranks No. 7 among all pitchers. He’s a must-see player in Cincinnati and on the road, but he opted not to pitch in the All-Star Game in order to let a tight groin settle down after contorting his body during a tag play at home plate July 8 against the Phillies.
Stewart is leading NL rookies in homers (19) and all rookies MLB-wide in RBI (65). His .256 batting average ranks No. 6 among qualified NL rookies, and his .812 OPS ranks third.
The Reds don’t think either individual has reached their proverbial ceiling.
“Everybody develops on their own time line and when you look at both of those guys, it doesn’t surprise me (they’re All-Stars) but it’s obviously their first full season they’ve played,” said Nick Krall, Reds president of baseball operations. “It’s amazing to see what they’ve done. … They’re both fantastic players, and they’ve both added to this club this year in positive ways.”
Just as impactful as the on-field example set by the pair is what their personalities and friendship brings to the clubhouse.
Reds outfielder JJ Bleday came to spring training this year as a five-year MLB player, and he had some of the battle scars to show for it as he was non-tendered by the Athletics organization after the 2025 season. In the midst of attempting to earn a job with Cincinnati, he became drawn to Stewart, who was younger than him, not guaranteed to be a teammate for any meaningful period of team, and had a single month of MLB experience to his name.
There wasn’t much the two men had in common − until they got to know each other.
“He jumped out to me,” Bleday said. “Just very outgoing, very positive. Had good energy. That’s the one thing I was drawn to. Really, really fun at spring training. I’m like, ‘I like this kid a lot. He’s got some good energy.’ And I guess that probably includes how he finds success on the baseball field.”
Stewart and Burns have the ability to draw teammates in, which is part of the value of their friendship. In the clubhouse, they’re contributing to a culture just as much as when they’re on the field.
“You want guys that get along with each other, that enjoy being with each other, that bring out the best in each other,” Krall said. “You’re looking for that camaraderie. In piecing the team together, you want guys that can hopefully get along and elevate the other players.
“Sal’s more of a larger-than-life personality. He’s a great kid but he’s more outspoken than I think Chase is. Chase is a little more quiet in how he goes about everything, but the way he goes about his business ‒ they both work really hard. They work hard in the weight room. They really want to win, and that’s ‒ it’s been great to see with both of them.”
Reporter Shelby Dermer contributed.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Future of the Reds on display at the MLB All-Star Game. Here’s why
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
