Sal Stewart appeared to get stung by an insect during his plate appearance in the bottom of the third inning on Wednesday, June 17, and the discomfort was visible enough that the Reds.TV booth talked through it in real time. The Cincinnati Reds third baseman kept playing, but the broadcast made clear he was bothered while the game continued at Great American Ball Park.
Jim Day said, "It's believed he got stung by a bee," and later added, "It's just underneath the chin." He also said, "I believe they're bringing something to him here in a moment, something to put on it."
John Sadak and Nate Tomlinson
John Sadak said Stewart kept going to the area underneath his chin while he was out there defensively. He said Reds head athletic trainer Sean McQueeney notified manager Terry Francona of Stewart's discomfort after chatting with Stewart.
Sadak also said Stewart was asking home plate umpire Nate Tomlinson to examine underneath his chin to see if something was there. That kept the focus on one small spot, not on a broader injury or a sudden exit from the game.
Barry Larkin's Bee Sting Story
Barry Larkin added a personal comparison from his family, saying, "No, but my brother growing up was allergic to bee stings" and "And he got stung one day and he started to swell up. Kinda scary situation." His point matched the broadcast's tone: the issue looked minor, but it drew immediate attention because it involved the face and came up in live action.
Sadak summed up the competitive side with, "You could tell how bothered Stewart was at the plate" and, "It's hard enough to hit and field as it is, let alone if you feel something off with your body." He ended the discussion with a direct concern for the Reds third baseman: "Hopefully he's all right."
The broadcast never pinned down the exact insect, and the comments kept circling back to Stewart's chin while he stayed in the game flow. For the Reds, the practical takeaway was simple: McQueeney checked on him, Francona was told, and Tomlinson was asked to look, which meant the staff treated it as something worth monitoring immediately rather than ignoring between innings.
