Reds News: Spencer Steer's injury, Emilio Pagán's bizarre absence, Tyson Lewis

The Cincinnati Reds took Sunday's series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals in extra innings by a final score of 5-3, but it came with a cost. Spencer Steer, who's played almost every position for the Reds this season, exited during the top of the fifth inning with an apparent wrist injury.

Steer was observed wincing after taking an awkward swing at a 1-0 pitch from Cardinals' starter Kyle Leahy, which prompted Reds manager Terry Francona and head athletic trainer Sean McQueeney to emerge from the dugout. After a brief conversation, Steer was removed from the game in favor of rookie infielder Edwin Arroyo.

Reds News: Spencer Steer to receive further imaging on right wrist

RedsTV reporter Jim Day observed that Steer's right wrist was wrapped after the game, and Francona spoke to the media about the club's most versatile fielder. The Reds' skipper didn't sound too optimistic about Steer's impending diagnosis.

"We'll get him looked at tomorrow," Francona said. "The concern is, he doesn't say anything...He doesn't ever complain. So you worry (because) he didn't fight me to come out of that game. That makes me nervous. But we'll get him looked at. We'll get him imaged. And then they're setting up the appointment with the hand specialist."

Steer is one of the most valuable players on the Reds' roster, which has in turn made him a popular trade target among a number of teams with the August 3 deadline approaching. The Reds have been mum on their trade deadline intentions, but if Steer lands on the IL, it's doubtful he'll be traded.

Reds News: Emilio Pagán healthy after being bypassed vs. Cardinals

Emilio Pagán is never one to shy away from taking the ball with the game on the line, so it was odd to not see the Reds' closer toeing the rubber during Sunday's game that went to extra innings. Pagán was warming up before the ninth inning, and with Cincinnati nursing a three-run lead heading into the 10th, it was assumed that the veteran would be on the mound to close out the game.

But Francona turned to 31-year-old rookie Julian Garcia instead. The right-hander recorded his first big-league save in the process, but Pagán's absence was a topic of conversation after the game. According to Francona, it's nothing to worry about.

"He's fine," Francona said. "I literally just talked to him. We rarely warm him up to finish an inning because he's been the closer. But we had him up for (Jordan) Walker. And then he warmed up to come in the game if we took the lead."

Francona then said that Pagán admitted that he wasn't feeling great about his pitches during warm ups. So rather than going with a pitcher who didn't have his best stuff, Francona turned to Garcia. Tito was adamant, however, that Pagán is healthy.

Reds News: Top prospect Tyson Lewis is on a tear with the Dayton Dragons

If Reds fans are looking for a new prospect to follow, look no further than Tyson Lewis. The former second-round pick was promoted to High-A just before the calendar flipped to July, and he's been on a tear of late. Lewis capped his brilliant performance this week with a home run on Sunday, marking his third straight game with a round tripper.

In 19 games with the Dayton Dragons, Lewis has a .963 OPS with three doubles, five homers, and 12 RBI. The strikeouts have been a concern since he was taken with the 51st-overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, but the uber-athletic infielder has the chance to be a difference-maker as he continues to develop.

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