Noelvi Marte's return could be undercut by unfortunate Reds' injury news

Noelvi Marte is nearing his return to the big leagues, and the Cincinnati Reds will need to clear a spot on the active roster. Unfortunately, an injury may dictate the corresponding move after Spencer Steer was hit by a pitch on Wednesday in Boston.

According to Cincinnati reporter Charlie Goldsmith, X-rays on Steer's hand were negative. That's the good news. The bad news, however, is that Steer was removed from the starting lineup for Game 2 of Wednesday's doubleheader after experiencing severe swelling his right hand. Officially the injury is deemed a contusion, but something similar happened to Austin Hays and he missed several weeks of action.

With Thursday's off-day, perhaps enough time has passed for the swelling to subside. Reds fans are certainly hopeful that Steer is able to play during Friday's series opener against the Philadelphia Phillies on Independence Day, but don't be surprised if he's headed to the IL.

Noelvi Marte is set to return to the Reds roster, but will Spencer Steer hit the IL?

While unfortunate, placing Steer on the injured list and activating Marte from the IL would be the simplest way for Cincinnati to welcome back their former top prospect. If Steer is deemed healthy, however, and able to avoid a stint on the IL, that brings an even bigger question into play — who'll be sent down in order to reinstate Marte to the active roster?

The most likely scenario in that case would be to option Ryan Vilade back to the minor leagues. The former St. Louis Cardinals utility man has been occupying a spot on the active roster since Connor Joe hit the IL with hand, foot, and mouth disease. Given Steer's ability to play all over the diamond, and the defensive versatility of both Gavin Lux and Santiago Espinal, optioning Vilade seems like the simplest solution.

If Steer avoids the IL and Marte is activated ahead of the Phillies' series, the Reds will be the healthiest they've been all season. Though still missing team ace Hunter Greene and rookie hurler Rhett Lowder, Cincinnati could be well on their way to finally having their best 26 players on the roster.

The Reds avoided yet another sweep on Wednesday after a seventh-inning rally over the Boston Red Sox. Cincinnati now heads to Citizen's Bank Park to tangle with one of the club's in the National League. With have back-to-back home series with the Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies — both of whom are below .500 — the Reds have a chance to enter the All-Star break in the very thick of the NL Wild Card hunt.

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