Outlook Sal Stewart
Sal Stewart looks to break power slump as Reds travel to St. Louis
Sal Stewart has cooled down recently, batting .225 over his last 14 days with zero home runs. The Reds currently sit in fifth place in the NL Central with a 31-30 record. Stewart remains locked into a regular everyday role, primarily shifting to third base with Ke'Bryan Hayes on the injured list, while also seeing his offensive burden increase with Elly De La Cruz sidelined.
While Stewart's recent power outage is disappointing compared to his historic 12-homer start, his overall season line of .262 with 12 home runs and 10 steals in 61 games remains highly impressive. Our models project him to finish with approximately 18 home runs and 10 steals, indicating that his baseline production is real and a modest rebound is on the horizon.
Looking at the remainder of the week, the Reds head to St. Louis for a three-game weekend series. Stewart will face Kyle Leahy (4.25 ERA) and Matthew Liberatore (4.35 ERA), presenting excellent opportunities to break his homerless streak before matching up with the tougher Michael McGreevy (2.98 ERA) on Sunday. He is an active option in all formats; start him with confidence.
Updated 2 days ago
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Outlook Jake Bauers
Jake Bauers holds down the primary first base role for the division-leading Brewers, offering massive power potential in an upcoming Coors Field trip.
Jake Bauers has established himself as the everyday first baseman for the first-place Brewers, who lead the division with a 37-22 record. Although his bat has cooled over the last 14 days with a .189 batting average, his 30-day sample is outstanding, yielding a .306 average, five home runs, and 17 RBI. Fully healthy and secure in his starting role, Bauers remains a key focal point of Milwaukee's offense.
Under the hood, some regression is expected, as our models project a .213 average and 12 home runs rest-of-season, aligning closer to his career .201 average in 2024. However, his current 2026 slash line of .270 with 10 home runs over 52 games suggests genuine growth. While his elevated strikeout rate over the last month hints at batting average volatility, his improved quality of contact validates his sustained power breakout.
The upcoming schedule offers an absolute dream scenario for Bauers, wrapping up a series against San Francisco's Adrian Houser (5.83 ERA) before heading to Colorado. The weekend series at Coors Field features matchups against Ryan Feltner (4.85 ERA), Tanner Gordon (6.37 ERA), and Kyle Freeland (8.06 ERA). Given these exceptionally favorable matchups and hitting environments, Bauers is an elite option. Verdict: Start.
Updated 2 days ago
