Reds' Sal Stewart: Projected for cleanup spot
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RotoWire Staff
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Stewart is projected by MLB.com to start at first base and bat cleanup against lefty Garrett Crochet and the Red Sox on Opening Day.
The 22-year-old has put together an impressive spring with a 1.066 OPS, three homers and four steals across 54 Cactus League plate appearances. With that, Stewart has been moving up manager Terry Francona's batting order, seeing time in the cleanup spot against both lefties and righties over the final week of exhibition play. It remains to be seen if it will stick, as Stewart's strikeout rate shot up 10 percentage points in his first cup of coffee in the majors last season, but the Reds clearly think he's ready to make a difference as a slugging first baseman in the heart of the lineup.
