Field Level Media
07 Apr 2026, 15:10 GMT+10
(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)
First baseman Sal Stewart, a Miami native, is hoping for more good vibes on Tuesday when his Cincinnati Reds play the host Marlins.
Stewart hit the go-ahead RBI single on Monday as the Reds won 2-0 in the opener of a four-game series.
'I'm super happy to be home (in Miami),' said Stewart, 22. 'I love seeing my family and friends. Miami is where I grew up. It's in my blood, and everyone knows how much Miami means to me.'
On Tuesday, Stewart and his teammates will be backing up Andrew Abbott, the fourth straight left-hander to start against the Marlins.
Abbott (0-1, 3.09 ERA) will go up against Miami's ace, right-hander Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 0.00).
Abbott became a first-time All-Star last year at age 26, going 8-1 with a 2.07 ERA in the first half of the season. However, in the second half of the season, he wasn't as sharp (2-6, 3.84 ERA).
This year has seen him produce one stellar start and one rough outing. He fired six shutout innings in a no-decision against the Boston Red Sox on Opening Day, then yielded four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings versus the Pittsburgh Pirates in a loss on Wednesday.
'I feel like I'm in a good spot,' Abbott said after the defeat, according to MLB.com. 'Obviously, there are improvements to make, there's things to kind of go back over, rewatch, relearn. But for the most part, I'm doing what I meant to do in the spring.'
In his lone start against the Marlins last year, Abbott tossed 7 2/3 innings of one-run ball. However, the previous season he was lit up twice by Miami, allowing 11 runs on 13 hits in 8 1/3 innings.
Alcantara had a season that was essentially the opposite of Abbott's last year. The former National League Cy Young Award winner, who missed the entire 2024 season following elbow surgery, struggled in the first half of 2025, going 4-9 with a 7.22 ERA. He got his groove back in the second half of last season, when he went 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA.
This year, Alcantara permitted just one run, which was unearned in seven innings on Opening Day, then fired a three-hit shutout against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday. Through 16 innings, he has permitted seven hits and two walked while striking out 12.
In nine appearances (seven starts) against the Reds, Alcantara is 2-5 with a 3.99 ERA. For his career, Alcantara has a 3.15 ERA at home as opposed to a 4.08 ERA on the road.
On offense, the Marlins are looking for more production from Jakob Marsee, who is batting just .109 with a .389 OPS. As a rookie last year, the center fielder was much better, hitting .292 with an .842 OPS.
Marlins manager Clayton McCullough isn't panicking.
'With Marsee, things will start falling his way in time,' McCullough said. 'Those line drives will fall, and he will get on a run.'
For the Reds, Stewart is hitting .353 with a 1.094 OPS. Many other Cincinnati batters are slumping, but the team is 7-3 due to outstanding pitching.
'We haven't done anything yet,' Stewart said. 'We just have to stay focused and help the team win.'
--Field Level Media
Get a daily dose of Chicago Chronicle news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Chicago Chronicle.
More InformationBEIJING, China: China has unveiled new guidance for its e-commerce sector, signalling a push to balance domestic growth with global...
NEW YORK, New York - U.S. equities posted modest gains on Monday, though trading remained cautious as investors tracked negotiations...
WASHINGTON, U.S.: A senior Federal Reserve official has signalled that interest rates could move in either direction in the coming...
LOS ANGELES, California: A mix of easing housing conditions and rising borrowing costs is shaping the U.S. home market this spring,...
TOKYO, Japan: The International Monetary Fund has urged the Bank of Japan to continue raising interest rates, even as the conflict...
MILAN, Italy: An Italian court has ruled that Netflix unlawfully raised subscription prices over several years, ordering the streaming...
MANAMA, Bahrain: A man detained in Bahrain last month as the island kingdom came under missile attack from Iran vanished for days,...
CHICAGO, Illinois: United Airlines said it will introduce a new tiered pricing structure for its premium cabins, offering travelers...
VATICAN CITY: Since he was anointed the first U.S. leader of the global Catholic Church ten months ago, Pope Leo has mostly stayed...
CHICAGO, Illinois: McDonald's is overhauling its value strategy by simplifying its menu to offer items priced under US$3, as it seeks...
(Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) First baseman Sal Stewart, a Miami native, is hoping for more good vibes on Tuesday when...
(Photo credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images) After four Baltimore pitchers combined on a four-hitter in a 2-1 victory against the...
