Mar 31, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart (27) high fives teammates after hitting a solo home run in the eighth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Projecting a Possible Sal Stewart Contract Extension With the Cincinnati Reds

Originally posted on Cincinnati Reds on SI
By Zach Pressnell | Last updated Apr 4, 2026 9:50 AM ET

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Sal Stewart has lit the baseball world on fire with his incredible production to begin the season this year. He's 9-for-23 with three doubles and two home runs through seven games. He's walked seven times and has four strikeouts.

Stewart recently sparked the city of Cincinnati by revealing that he's open to a contract extension with the Reds right now.

“I know I have a value, and I understand that,” Stewart told The Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer. "but I also understand the value of being comfortable and wanting to lead a franchise. Cincinnati’s been great to me. I’m definitely open to it.”

With this in mind, the Reds can't afford to fumble this opportunity. What would a deal cost?

Projected Deal: 8 years (2027 through 2034), $125 million

This deal is largely based on Roman Anthony's eight-year, $130 million extension with the Boston Red Sox. Stewart is very similar in terms of talent, hype, and potential. A deal like this would seemingly be very fair for both sides.

Why the Reds Would Benefit

The Reds would benefit for a few reasons.

They're a small market team without the money to go after big free agents. If Stewart continues to get better over the next five or six years, the Reds have next to no chance to re-sign him to a new deal. Signing him now would buy out his pre-arbitration and arbitration years while signing him for three additional years of his free agency.

Stewart is a bat-first infielder with the upside to be one of the best in the game. He has a passion that can't be taught. He's seemingly one of the best human beings in the Reds organization, too. Considering Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recently set the first base market with his $500 million deal, it could be a steal to ink Stewart to a deal like this.

Why Sal Stewart Would Benefit

For Stewart, this deal would pay him more during the pre-arbitration years than he would earn if he didn't sign a deal like this. Considering the Reds are already a year behind, he could hunt more money than this.

Either way, this would be his way of committing to the team that drafted him without sacrificing his future. Stewart would still hit free agency before he's aged out of his prime, as he's one of the youngest players in the league right now. He would have plenty of time to chase money later in his career if he wanted to, while playing for the Reds for well over $100 million over eight years.

This deal would seemingly work for both sides, though there's a chance it's closer to $150 million if the Reds aren't quick to make a move with him this year. Stewart is one of the most talented players on their roster and could be a building block for years to come.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Reds on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: