Cincinnati Reds rookie Sal Stewart tied Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams for the National League RBI lead on Sunday, August 2, with both players sitting at 85 RBI. Stewart has been active with the Reds since April 16 of this season and is now making a legitimate run at one of the NL's most coveted statistical crowns in 2026.
Sal Stewart Matches Abrams at the Top of the NL RBI Leaderboard
Stewart's climb to a share of the NL lead is a notable development for Cincinnati. The 22-year-old first baseman is now deadlocked with Abrams, who had previously held the NL RBI lead outright. With 85 RBI, the two players sit well clear of the next closest competition — the current margin represents a 7.1 percent edge over the runner-up.
What We Know About Stewart's 2026 Season
- Stewart has been on the Reds' active roster since April 16, 2026.
- He carries rookie status heading into this point of the season.
- His 85 RBI place him in a tie atop the National League standings in that category.
This is a race worth watching — and worth caring about. Stewart didn't just sneak into a share of the lead; he erased Abrams' outright advantage, flipping a leaderboard that now has two legitimate contenders with roughly two months of baseball left to play. For Reds fans who've waited years for homegrown talent to show up in these conversations, a rookie sitting tied atop an NL statistical category in early August is exactly the kind of development that makes the stretch run worth every pitch.
