Key Takeaways
- Stewart underwent right‑shoulder debridement surgery in late September, which kept him out of spring training.
- In eight rehab games (2 A, 6 AAA) he struck out 13 of 27 batters faced—a 48.1 % K‑rate—and allowed no runs over 6 ⅓ innings.
- His fastball velocity dipped slightly versus last season, averaging 95.5 mph (four‑seam) and 94.8 mph (sinker).
- A three‑week build‑up split between Single‑A Ontario and Triple‑A Oklahoma City served as a graded ramp‑up to big‑league relief work.
- During the final Triple‑A week he pitched on back‑to‑back days, including a one‑batter outing, showing he can handle consecutive appearances.
- Pitching coach Eder highlighted the adjustment from a starter’s five‑day routine to the nightly readiness required of a reliever.
Stewart’s season got off to a delayed start after he underwent right shoulder debridement surgery in late September of the previous year. The procedure was intended to clean up damaged tissue and restore range of motion, but it forced him to miss the entirety of spring training and required a careful, step‑by‑step rehabilitation program before he could even consider returning to game action.
Once cleared for limited work, Stewart was assigned to a rehab stint that began with two appearances at Single‑A Ontario. Those early outings allowed the organization to monitor his mechanics, pain levels, and arm speed in a low‑pressure environment while still providing competitive hitters to face.
After the Ontario stint, he moved up to Triple‑A Oklahoma City for six additional games. The jump to Triple‑A gave him a tougher test against more experienced lineups, which is crucial for gauging whether the shoulder could handle the velocity and stress of major‑league pitching.
Across the eight rehab appearances, Stewart faced 27 batters and struck out 13 of them, resulting in a strikeout percentage of 48.1 %. That rate is well above the league average for relievers and indicates that his stuff remained sharp despite the time away from the mound.
He completed 6 ⅓ innings without allowing a run, surrendering only four hits, issuing three walks, and hitting one batter. The scoreless streak underscores his ability to locate pitches and keep hitters off balance, even while still building up arm strength.
In total, Stewart threw 112 pitches during the rehab stretch. Of those, he generated 23 swinging strikes—a sign that his arsenal was eliciting swings and misses. Notably, 15 of those swinging strikes came in just 4 ⅔ innings at Triple‑A, highlighting his effectiveness against higher‑level competition.
Velocity measurements showed a modest decline relative to the previous season. His four‑seam fastball averaged 95.5 mph, while his sinker sat at 94.8 mph. In 2023 those pitches had averaged 96.2 mph, so the drop of roughly three‑fourths of a mile per hour suggests the shoulder is still regaining its full explosiveness.
Because he did not participate in spring training, Stewart’s preparation was compressed into a three‑week build‑up split between the Ontario and Oklahoma City affiliates. The gradual increase in workload was designed to let the shoulder adapt to the demands of pitching while minimizing the risk of re‑injury.
The final week of the Triple‑A assignment served as a dress rehearsal for big‑league relief work. He pitched on back‑to‑back days—Wednesday and Thursday—demonstrating that his arm could recover quickly enough for consecutive appearances, a necessity for modern bullpen usage.
In the second of those consecutive outings, Stewart was called upon to face just a single batter, a scenario that tests a reliever’s ability to lock in instantly and execute a high‑leverage pitch with minimal warm‑up time. He succeeded, retiring the batter without incident.
On Sunday he entered the game in the middle of an inning at the Round Rock Express, further showcasing his flexibility to be summoned at any point during a contest. This mirrors the unpredictable nature of major‑league relief roles, where pitchers often join the game with runners on base or in the midst of a rally.
Reflecting on the transition, pitching coach Eder noted the contrast between a starter’s predictable five‑day routine and the nightly readiness required of a reliever. He said Stewart is still acclimating to the relief mindset but is doing everything possible before each game to be prepared to perform whenever called upon.
