Sal Stewart is a frontrunner for NL Rookie of the 12 months honors. A formidable presence in the midst of the Cincinnati Reds lineup, the 22-year-old nook infielder has bashed 31 house runs and put up a 121 wRC+. Furthermore, he leads all MLB hitters with 106 RBIs. Per the workforce’s press notes, Ted Williams (144 in 1939) and Walt Dropo are the one rookies to guide the majors in RBIs since 1920.
Stewart’s capability to sq. up baseballs far exceeds his wordiness when discussing the artwork and science of hitting — at the very least that was the case after I talked to him previous to a current sport at Wrigley Area. Entertainingly demonstrative when interacting with teammates within the clubhouse previous to our dialog, he was removed from expansive when responding to questions on his craft.
“I’m form of all the time tinkering and looking for what’s finest,” Stewart replied when requested how he’s grown as a hitter since getting into professional ball in 2022 out of a Miami highschool. “However for essentially the most half, I’ve the identical swing I’ve had since I used to be 12 years previous.”
The burgeoning star instructed me that he nonetheless has the identical offseason hitting coaches who helped him hone his right-handed stroke in journey ball. As he defined, “I belief my individuals and stick to my individuals.” Ditto coaching strategies. He doesn’t hit off of a Trajekt, preferring as an alternative to comply with his established routine of “doing a little tee stuff, some flips. Drills that I do know work for me, and put together me for the sport.”
His strategy when he steps as much as the plate?
‘I simply all the time attempt to be on the fastball,” Stewart said. “I attempt to be on time with that. Every little thing follows from there.”
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A query I’ve requested a number of sluggers through the years is whether or not they contemplate themselves an influence hitter. I did so with Stewart, and his response got here after a pregnant pause. “I’m a hitter who can do a number of issues,” Gently prodded to say extra, he allowed that he’s “a hitter who has energy.”
My asking if he watches different hitters to see how they’re approaching particular pitchers elicited a response that, whereas likewise unforthcoming, was completely cheap (not that his others weren’t; I used to be merely hoping for extra given his emergence as considered one of baseball’s finest with the bat). It must also be regarding for opponents going ahead.
“It’s onerous, as a result of these hitters know what works for them, and you should determine what works for you,” stated Stewart. “And I’m clearly nonetheless studying. I’m nonetheless getting higher.”
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RANDOM HITTER-PITCHER MATCHUPS
Alan Trammell went 16 for 39 in opposition to Dave Stewart.
Shannon Stewart went 25 for 60 in opposition to Andy Pettitte.
Ira Flagstead went 11 for 21 in opposition to Lefty Stewart.
Bud Stewart went 7 for 17 in opposition to Satchel Paige.
Minnie Minoso went 7 for 8 in opposition to Bunky Stewart.
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Which opposing workforce has most impressed you this season? A handful of managers have answered that query in current Sunday Notes columns, and in the present day we’ll hear from Seattle’s Dan Wilson.
“I suppose I might go together with both the Dodgers or the Brewers,” replied the Mariners skipper. “They’re in all probability the 2 groups which have caught out for me. When it comes to the Brewers, they’ve such an id of who they’re and the way they play. They play onerous. They’re additionally a workforce that makes use of the entire discipline; they hit the ball the place it’s pitched. They’ve guys of their lineup who can hit the ball out of the ballpark, however they’re going to push the envelope in a number of totally different areas. And so they definitely don’t harm themselves defensively. They’ve additionally acquired some guys who can actually throw. It’s a workforce that performs a model of baseball, and so they carry that each day.”
The Mariners performed the Brewers not too long ago, shedding two of three video games in Milwaukee from August 18-20. Bookending a 7-5 Seattle win have been a 7-4 defeat and a 22-0 demolishing. Wilson’s membership additionally misplaced two of three to the defending World Sequence champs, with these video games being performed in Los Angeles on the finish of July.
“The Dodgers are only a good workforce,” Wilson instructed me. “They’ve only a few holes. Whenever you’re up in opposition to that, you have got an actual problem.”
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Torey Lovullo named the Chicago Cubs when answering my most-impressed-with query. In explaining why, the Arizona Diamondbacks supervisor cited how well-prepared Craig Counsell’s membership is, together with how the gamers know their roles.
I not too long ago instructed the Cubs supervisor what his up to date had stated, then proceeded to ask him how these attributes are fashioned and put into follow.
“You’re attempting to arrange your gamers as finest you possibly can,” Counsell replied. “You attempt to create gamers who’re geared up to do sure issues [and] attempt to match them to what your wants are as a workforce. You attempt to reap the benefits of the strengths of your workforce and improve them. We’ve a gaggle that may watch baseball video of situational performs for half an hour and gained’t ask out of the assembly. That’s simply who they’re. They’ll get into the weeds fairly onerous on that stuff. You attempt to reap the benefits of that, and also you attempt to set a reasonably good commonplace to maintain guys conforming to it.”
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A quiz:
A San Francisco Giants pitcher was charged with a balk when a robust gust of wind blew him off the Candlestick Park mound throughout the 1961 All-Star Recreation. Which hurler suffered that notorious indignity? (A touch: a right-hander often called a soft-tosser, he led the NL in saves that very same season, then did the identical within the AL with the Baltimore Orioles two years later.)
The reply may be discovered under.
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NEWS NOTES
John Balginy referred to as his ultimate Idaho Falls Chukars sport this previous week, ending a 41-year profession within the membership’s broadcast sales space. An unbiased league workforce for every of the previous six seasons, the longtime MLB affiliate has been in existence since 1940. Notable alumni embrace José Canseco, Joe Maddon (supervisor) Salvador Perez, and Devon White.
The Arizona Fall League season begins on October 3, and together with future MLB gamers there might very properly be some future MLB managers. Greater than 30 former AFL managers/coaches have gone on to guide big-league groups, together with Kevin Money, Terry Francona, A.J. Hinch, Torey Lovullo, Warren Schaefer, and Derek Shelton. A snapshot of this 12 months’s AFL skippers may be discovered right here, and the season schedule right here.
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The reply to the quiz is Stu Miller.
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Tony Vitello was requested about Rafael Devers when the Giants visited Fenway Park just a few weeks in the past, and one of many issues he stated in regards to the erstwhile Pink Sox third baseman struck me as particularly attention-grabbing.
“You hate the tinkerer within the cage, the place at some point he has his arms above his head and the subsequent day they’re at his belt,” San Francisco’s supervisor opined. “His swing has all the time been his swing. He is aware of the swing in addition to anyone. The identical contest each baseball participant is preventing is what number of occasions are you able to repeat your finest swing. There are a number of variables, however the one factor that stays fixed is his setup and his swing.”
Following up on Vitello’s reply to the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier, I requested the first-year supervisor if Devers takes his A-swing extra typically than the typical MLB hitter.
“Yeah, he’ll all the time let you know that: ‘I’m going to swing onerous,’” replied Vitello. “That’s all the time been his sport. And it has form of all the time labored for him, too.”
Devers has 270 house runs and a 128 OPS over nine-plus MLB seasons. This 12 months’s ledger features a .258/.339/.519 slash line, 35 round-trippers, and a 134 wRC+.
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FOREIGN AFFAIRS
The Samsung Tigers and KT Wiz are in an in depth race atop the KBO standings. The previous, who’re positioned in Daegu, South Korea, has a report of 71-46-3. The latter, who’re based mostly in Suwon, South Korea, have a report of 69-45-3.
Sam Hilliard has 32 house runs to go together with a .297/.364/.559 slash line and a 138 wRC+ over 511 plate appearances with the Wiz. The 32-year-old outfielder is in his first KBO season after enjoying for the Colorado Rockies and Atlanta Braves.
Min Seok Choi deserves one other replace. The 20-year-old right-hander now boasts a report of 13-4 to go together with a 2.69 ERA over 133-and-two-thirds innings with the Doosan Bears. The KBO’s finest younger hurler co-leads the circuit in wins and has the third-best ERA.
Rikuto Yokoyama has recorded 31 saves for NPB’s Chiba Lotte Marines. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 2.14 ERA and a 3.52 FIP over 46-and-a-third frames.
Jared Walsh slashed .333/.429/.569 with 15 house runs throughout 375 plate appearances for the Mexican League’s Charros de Jalisco. The 33-year-old outfielder/first baseman performed for the Los Angeles Angels from 2019-2023, and for the Texas Rangers in 2024.
The Espoon Teräs captured Finland’s Fats Lizard League championship by beating the Helsinki Devils. Sponsored by the Espoo-based Fats Lizard Brewing Firm, the circuit is formally named Baseballin Suomi-sarja.
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Clayton Campbell has an opportunity to turn out to be the primary New Zealand-born participant in MLB historical past. A local of Auckland, the 22-year-old nook infielder/catcher was signed by the Detroit Tigers in December 2021, and he’s at the moment having fun with his most efficient skilled season. Over 412 plate appearances between Excessive-A West Michigan and Double-A Erie, Campbell is slashing .260/.340/.402 with 10 house runs and a 98 wRC+.
Whereas he has Kiwi roots, his formative baseball days truly got here Down Underneath.
“I used to be born in New Zealand, however I used to be raised in Australia and did most of my baseball there,” Campbell instructed me earlier this summer season. “We moved to Canada for a few 12 months — my dad went to Edmonton to play baseball — after I was round seven [years old]. From there we moved to Australia, which is after I acquired into baseball.”
Campbell has performed professionally in Australia’s prime league. He suited up for the Auckland Tuatara in 2022-2023 (New Zealand’s lone ABL workforce has since folded) and for the Sydney Blue Sox in 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. Campbell did return to Sydney this previous offseason, however solely to go to household. This time there was no ABL.
“I went to Driveline as an alternative, and targeted on the coaching facets of the sport,” Campbell defined. “I hit, did my weight stuff, and the work helped me get higher. The most important factor was engaged on pulling the ball within the air with backspin. I did some bat-speed coaching, as properly.
“I got here to spring coaching with a bit of little bit of a chip on my shoulder,” Campbell went on to say. “The previous couple of years I haven’t actually achieved the perfect, however this 12 months I really feel like I’ve been swinging on the proper pitches, taking my walks, hitting for some energy, and enjoying good protection. That’s all I can ask for. I’m simply going on the market attempting to do my finest and assist the workforce win.”
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FARM NOTES
Emil Morales leads the minors with 119 RBIs. Ranked 77th on The Board with a 50 FV, the 19-year-old shortstop within the Los Angeles Dodgers system is slashing .298.384/.552 with 26 house runs and a 134 wRC+ over 541 plate appearances between Low-A Ontario and Excessive-A Nice Lakes. Morales was born in Spain.
Kane Kepley leads the minors with 123 runs scored. Ranked sixth within the Chicago Cubs system with a forty five FV, the 22-year-old outfielder is slashing .245/.428/.415 with 10 house runs and a 131 wRC+ between Excessive-A South Bend and Double-A Knoxville. Kepley has swiped 62 bases in 68 makes an attempt.
Luke Pettitte is 10-for-36 with two doubles and 4 house runs throughout 42 plate appearances for Low-A Tampa. Drafted within the eighth spherical this summer season by the New York Yankees out of Dallas Baptist College, the 21-year-old first baseman is the son of erstwhile Yankees and Rangers left-hander Andy Pettitte.
Johnny King is 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA, a 3.81 FIP, and a 30.7% strikeout fee over 102 innings between Excessive-A Vancouver and Double-A New Hampshire. Presently the youngest participant within the Jap League, the 20-year-old southpaw is ranked fifth within the Toronto Blue Jays system with a forty five FV.
Sebastian Walcott has swung a sizzling bat since returning to motion in mid-July. DHing for Double-A Frisco as he continues to completely recuperate from elbow surgical procedure, the 20-year-old shortstop within the Texas Rangers group has eight house runs to go together with a .318/.404/.606 slash line and a 153 wRC+ over 151 plate appearances. He ranks thirteenth on The Board with a 55 FV.
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Two random obscure former participant snapshots:
Herb Cobb’s MLB profession comprised one sport — and one shaky inning — for the St. Louis Browns in 1929. Not solely did he give up 4 runs to the Detroit Tigers, his stint on the mound started with the next sequence: stroll, balk, double, house run, single, balk. He did have some success down on the farm. The best-hander from Pinetops, North Carolina went 20-13 with the Wilson Bugs in 1926, and 14-7 with the Wichita Falls Spudders in 1928.
Joe Cobb additionally had a one-game MLB profession, that with the Detroit Tigers in 1918. A catcher from Hudson, Pennsylvania, he pinch-hit for Rudy Kallio and went down on strikes in opposition to Cleveland Indians lefty Fritz Coumbe in his lone plate look. No relation to Ty Cobb, who batted an AL-best .382 for the Tigers that season, the long-forgotten backstop performed for a number of golf equipment within the minors, together with the Cumberland Colts, Jersey Metropolis Skeeters, and Wichita Falls Spudders (with whom he counted Herb Cobb amongst his teammates).
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Danae Benites continues to dominate the WPBL. The 24-year-old New York Heights catcher has bashed a circuit-best 11 house runs whereas logging an otherworldly .552/.597/1.155 slash line in 67 plate appearances.
Kelsie Whitmore has gone deep 10 occasions whereas placing up a .447/.552/1.128 slash line over 59 PAs with the San Francisco Firebells. The 28-year-old two-way participant has taken the mound six occasions and is 3-1 with a 6.75 ERA over 24 innings.
Mo’ne Davis has 9 hits in 39 at-bats for the Los Angeles Queens. The 25-year-old outfielder, who scored the primary run within the historical past of the fledgling league, first made a reputation for herself within the 2014 Little League World Sequence.
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LINKS YOU’LL LIKE
SBNation’s Joelle Milholm wrote about how the lights shine vivid within the inaugural WPBL season.
Lindsay Dial delved into the parable of aggressive stability at From Seaver to Seattle.
At CBS Sports activities, Julian McWilliams addressed Kristian Campbell and the impression, each constructive and detrimental, that Driveline is having on hitting improvement.
Additionally at CBS Sports activities, Mike Axisa defined how house plate umpire Doug Eddings embarrassed himself by telling a pitcher that he wanted to regulate the lean of his cap.
Doug Glanville interviewed for the Tampa Bay Rays managerial job 12 years in the past. The outfielder-turned-broadcaster wrote about that have on his Substack (subscription required).
The Athletic’s Andy McCullough weighed in on which managers and executives have their jobs on the road this month.
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RANDOM FACTS AND STATS
The Milwaukee Brewers have hit 132 house runs and have a plus-172 run differential. The Cincinnati Reds have hit 191 house runs and have a minus-109 run differential.
The Chicago Cubs pitchers have a plus-139 run differential regardless of their pitchers having allowed a most-in-the majors 215 house runs. The San Francisco Giants have a minus-73 run differential regardless of their pitchers’ having allowed a fewest-in-the majors 136 house runs.
The Detroit Tigers are 19-45 in video games which were determined by two or fewer runs.They’re 46-32 in video games determined by three or extra runs.
The Tigers and Houston Astros have every stolen 43 bases and been caught stealing 19 occasions. The Chicago Cubs have stolen 102 bases and been caught 19 occasions.
Braxton Ashcraft is 14-6 with a 3.49 FIP. Shane Baz is 5-15 with a 3.40 FIP.
Chandler Simpson’s .308 batting common is second highest within the junior circuit behind Yordan Alvarez’s .316. The Tampa Bay Rays speedster has 155 hits, together with 135 singles. He leads all gamers in infield hits (36) and bunt hits (14).
Carter Jensen grew to become the primary catcher in Kansas Metropolis Royals historical past to report a double, a triple, and a house run in the identical sport. The 23-year-old rookie backstop did so on Thursday.
Ryan Jeffers recorded his a centesimal profession double earlier this week, making him the sixth catcher in Minnesota Twins historical past to achieve that mark. In entrance of him on the listing are A.J. Pierzynski (106), Butch Wynegar (112), Earl Battey (105), Brian Harper (156), and Joe Mauer (428).
The Chicago White Sox swept a double-header in opposition to the Detroit Tigers by scores of 2-0 and 15-0 on in the present day’s date in 1905. The Tabbies have been held to 5 hits within the opener, then have been no-hit by Frank Smith within the nightcap.
On in the present day’s date in 1969, Cesar Tovar homered with a person aboard within the prime of the 18th inning to raise the Minnesota Twins to an 8-6 win over the Oakland Athletics. Jim Kaat pitched nine-and-a-third innings of one-run reduction for the win.
Gamers born on in the present day’s date embrace Micheal Nakamura, a right-hander who appeared in 12 video games for the Minnesota Twins in 2003, and in 19 video games for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2004. A local of Nara, Japan who attended highschool in Melbourne, Australia and performed collegiately on the College of South Alabama, he recorded 101 saves for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters throughout the 2006-2008 seasons. Nakamura was inducted into the Baseball Australia Corridor of Fame in 2016.
Additionally born on in the present day’s date was Del Bissonette, a primary baseman from Winthrop, Maine — he additionally spent a part of his youth in Quebec — who batted .308 whereas averaging 16 house runs and 95 RBIs for the Brooklyn Robins throughout the 1928-1931 seasons. He subsequently missed 1932 as a result of damage, performed in simply 35 video games a 12 months later, then spent a number of seasons within the minors. Bissonette suited up for golf equipment such because the Glace Bay Miners, Montreal Royals, and Quebec Athletiques.
