The Cincinnati Reds haven’t put together the season they would’ve been hoping for.
After a strong surge at the end of last season, they were unable to keep the good times rolling when the calendar flipped to 2026.
They’ll be watching playoff baseball from home, and that means two of the most exciting young players in the sport won’t be a part of the postseason.
Elly De La Cruz has been a known commodity but is still, in a way, up-and-coming.
This was Sal Stewart’s first full season in the major leagues, and he proved an able running mate for De La Cruz.
Together, they make it feel like the future in Cincinnati is still bright, at least as long as the Reds can hold onto them.
And together, they made some cool history during the 2026 MLB season.
Reds Duo’s Baseball History
Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart have now each topped 30 home runs this season.
They’re the first duo aged 24-or-younger to hit at least 30 home runs in the same season in Reds franchise history.
Cincinnati has had some great sluggers, but they’ve never overlapped this young and this good at the same time.
Elly and Sal are the first pair of teammates aged 24-or-younger to each hit 30+ HR in the same season in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/yrkDUdEodP
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) September 25, 2026
They’re also just the 13th pairing in baseball history to do this for any MLB team.
The first was for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1929, when Don Hurst and Chuck Klein did it.
The Washington Senators joined the list in 1959 with Bob Allison and Harmon Killebrew.
It happened with the 1980 Atlanta Braves via Bob Horner and Dal Murphy.
The Oakland Athletics did it in back-to-back years with the same players — Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire in 1987 and 1988.
Then in 1993, Juan Gonzalez and Dean Palmer made it happen for the Texas Rangers.
It was the Rangers again in 2004 with Hank Blalock and Mark Teixeira.
Then in 2007 and 2008, the Milwaukee Brewers‘ duo of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder did it twice.
The Rangers made it happen a third time in 2017 when Joey Gallo and Rougned Odor showed off their power.
Two teams did it in 2021: the Atlanta Braves with Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley, and the Houston Astros with Yordan Alvarez and Kyle Tucker.
And then there are these Reds.
What Comes Next?
The potential lockout this offseason complicates things, but the Reds owe it to their two young stars to put a more competitive team on the field for next season.
De La Cruz may not stay in Cincinnati forever, and so the Reds have to take advantage of the potential contention window that he provides for them.
Stewart has a longer period of club control remaining, but he too is a guy you want playing for your team in winning times, not losing.
The Reds have work to do to make things better in time for next season.
Reds’ Elly De La Cruz, Sal Stewart Make Baseball History