Reds manager Terry Francona's must employ this old tactic to rescue Spencer Steer

Spencer Steer is one of the most beloved players in the Cincinnati Reds clubhouse and some fans may even view him as a fan-favorite. Steer is an easy player to root for and showed plenty of resolve at the outset of the 2025 season while playing through a shoulder injury.

Unfortunately, grit and determination only get you so far in this game. At some point, it has to be about production, and Steer has had very little of that this season. Heading into play on Wednesday, Steer is hitting .220/.282/.324 with a 65 wRC+. Steer's bat has become a black hole in the Reds lineup, and his struggles are coming while primarily playing first base.

When you look at some of the best first baseman in the league, names like Pete Alonso, Matt Olson, and Michael Bush rise to the top. Eleven starting first baseman have double-digit home runs this season. Steer has just five. As a team, Reds' first basemen rank 24th in RBI, slugging and OPS.

Reds manager Terry Francona's must employ this old tactic to rescue Spencer Steer

First base is typically a position that's dominated by bat-first players who's defense is suspect. Steer, however, is in the exact opposite category. His defense has been borderline Gold Glove-caliber, but his bat is ineffective. If Cincinnati insists on keeping Steer in the lineup, they've got to make a change.

It's time to bump Steer down in the batting order to No. 9. Reds manager Terry Francona used that same tactic earlier this season with Matt McLain and it's worked wonders. Previously batting second in the lineup, McLain was bumped all the way down to eighth, and eventually, ninth.

Through his first 145 plate appearances, McLain was hitting .165/.299/.298. McLain has been surging in recent weeks and since June 6 is hitting .303/.410/.485. Recently, Francona has shown more trust in McLain and even batted him second in a game when the opposition threw out a left-handed starter.

Some fans will call for Steer to be benched, while others would prefer he be sent to Triple-A. Francona, however, has shown that he doesn't do business that way. Given that Steer has been battling a shoulder injury since spring training, it's understandable that his bat isn't where the Reds need it to be. At this point in the season, however, Cincinnati cannot afford to slot him any higher in the lineup than No. 9.

Much like Francona did with McLain, he values Steer's glove. But it's time to send a message to Steer, and the rest of the clubhouse, that defense alone will not keep you in the starting lineup.

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