To look at Sal Stewart following the second game of the 2026 season, you’d never know he’d flirted with the possibility of a severe injury on Opening Day.
Stewart, the Cincinnati Reds’ first baseman, was nearly an injury casualty on Thursday, March 26, when a liner off the bat of Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony struck his forearm in the fifth inning. But Stewart stayed in the game and went on to achieve multiple historic milestones in the contest.
After becoming the first Reds rookie to collect three or more hits on an Opening Day in the Thursday, March 26 curtain-raiser against Boston, Stewart became the second Reds rookie since 1958 to collect at least five hits through the first two games of the season.
Rookie rules were established in 1958. Stewart joined Zack Cozart (2012) in becoming the second Reds rookie to collect at least five hits in the first two games.
“When the juices were flowing, it was just going out there and competing,” Stewart said.
Stewart also went 4-for-4 in his first four at-bats over two games following being struck by Anthony’s line drive, which was measured at 110 mph off the bat. Two days later, and playing in chilly conditions, Stewart didn’t seem to have any trouble continuing his hot hitting as he singled in the first inning to drive in the first Reds run of 2026 and then homered to right-center field in the third inning.
The home run traveled 399 feet, and put the Reds up 4-1.
“He used the whole field. He goes (foul) pole to pole,” Reds manager Terry Francona said. “He hit that (home run) to right-center (and) I thought it was gonna hit him in the chin.”
In the fifth inning, the Red Sox finally retired Stewart but it required Boston center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela to run down the well-hit ball.
“He’s a good hitter, and he’s played two games and he swung it well,” Francona said. “Let’s not induct him yet, but we do really think he’s a good hitter.”
Francona said March 28 that Stewart was looked at by Reds medical personnel during and after the Opening Day game, adding that Cincinnati looked to have dodged an injury on a line drive that struck Stewart.
At the conclusion of play March 28, Stewart was 5-for-8 with a walk and two RBI on the year.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How Sal Stewart started 2026 season on a record pace for the Reds
Reporting by Pat Brennan, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
