CINCINNATI — The day many Reds fans have been clamoring for is finally here. Sal Stewart has been promoted to the Reds roster as part of the two September call-ups permitted by Major League Baseball.
It couldn’t have ended any better, with the Reds rallying for three runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays, keeping a pulse in the race for the third and final wild card spot in the National League.
Stewart certainly made a quick impression, singling to left on a 3-1 pitch in the second inning and scoring from first on a Ke’Bryan Hayes double to left to put the Reds up, 2-0. He swung his arms up emotionally to the crowd after sliding across home with the second run.
“I mean, I don’t think I could say what I was kind of yelling, but I was just fired up, fired up for the guys,” Stewart said. “I want to let them know, like I’m here for for them, like I’m here for them. I want to play the to win all the time, and I was in the heat of the moment. I mean, first knock, ball in the gap, I got to go score. So it was just a bunch of emotions. But that’s who I am.”
Kid is an electric factory@stewart_sal pic.twitter.com/U6izTwMUDR
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 1, 2025
He finished 1-for-3 with a run scored and a strikeout and made two putouts at first base.
“Happy that we got to win,” Stewart said. “But yeah, that was one of the that was probably the best day of my life, not gonna lie, that was incredible. That was really awesome.”
Stewart was taken in the first round – 32nd overall – as a compensation pick in 2022 for Nick Castellanos signing in Philadelphia. The 21-year-old has definitely done everything in his power to earn the promotion before his contract was selected Monday and added to the MLB 28-man expanded roster.
So, all those fans who were calling for Stewart’s callup before Monday’s roster expansion finally had their moment. Unfortunately for them, the callup on Monday means he won’t be available for the postseason should the Reds rally for a wild card spot. Still, Stewart was in awe of the fans’ support and their wanting to see him up in the Majors.
“It means everything. It gives me chills,” Stewart said. “I mean that all the fans feel like I can go help the team win. I mean it means everything to me. When they drafted me in ’22 they took a chance on me, and when everyone didn’t think that they should, and then when I started moving up the ranks, (media) felt like I still wasn’t good enough. and for the fact that the fans feel that that strong about me and who I am as a player, I mean, it means everything to me that the the fan base here is second to none.”
Stewart was with his family in Louisville on Sunday when he found out that he was going to be promoted to Cincinnati on Monday.
“There were a lot of tears, a lot of excitement, my parents were able to be there,” Stewart said. “So that was a great moment, but it quickly shifted to what I got to do next and what I have to do to be ready to play out today. So super excited. Probably in the off season, we’ll look at it more and enjoy it, but right now, we got a goal in mind, and I’m trying to help the team win, so my focus quickly shifted.”
Wasted no time getting that first big league hit ✔️
Congrats, @stewart_sal‼️ pic.twitter.com/B6dCkTr1Uh
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 1, 2025
There were more tears when Stewart singled in the second inning Monday for his first big league hit in his first plate appearance.
Stewart’s dad teared up when his son reached first base Monday.
“It’s everything to me, honestly, like we’ve been working so hard for this moment,” Stewart said of the family investment. “I can’t believe it came and they invested so much time and effort, and forget about the money, just like time and effort, and going to pick me up from school and take me to practice and going home and making me food and going back. I mean that moment’s for them, that that moment’s not for me.”
