Reds News: Spencer Steer injury update, Joey Votto NBC debut, Christian Encarnacion-Strand

Cincinnati Reds right fielder Spencer Steer was hit in the ribs with a 94 mph sinker on Monday night. Seattle Mariners right-hander Nick Davila drilled Steer during the top of the seventh inning, and he was eventually lifted in favor of Noelvi Marte during the bottom of the eighth. Reds manager Terry Francona offered a promising, albeit somewhat concerning, update after the game.

Francona told FOX19 contributor Charlie Goldsmith, "He stayed in the game. I knew he was hurting. When he tried to swing, it was really bothering him. He's in there getting X-rayed now. They don't see anything, which is encouraging."

Reds News: Spencer Steer appears to have avoided major injury after HBP

If nothing else, it sounds like Steer could be out of the Reds starting lineup for Game 2 of the team's current series against the Mariners. Steer has been one of the club's more durable players since his debut in 2022, having played in 146 games or more in each of his first three big-league seasons.

Steer's name has been bandied about in trade rumors for the past week, but at the moment, there's no sign that Cincinnati intends to trade him before the August 3 deadline. The latest intel reveals that the Reds are looking to move players on expiring contracts; Steer is under team control through the 2028 season.

Reds News: Joey Votto set to make his Sunday Night Baseball debut

Joey Votto retired from the game of baseball in 2024 after failing to latch on with his hometown Toronto Blue Jays. The Reds legend has been mostly absent from the public eye since hanging up his cleats two years ago.

But the future Hall of Famer will be making his network television debut as an in-studio analyst for NBC's "Sunday Night Baseball" this week. Votto will slide in alongside Clayton Kershaw and Anthony Rizzo and give his break down of this Sunday's matchup between the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees.

Reds News: Former slugger Christian Encarnacion-Strand homers for Orioles

Speaking of Votto, at one time, former Reds Christian Encarnacion-Strand was supposed to be the six-time All-Star's successor at first base. Cincinnati moved on from Votto after the 2023 season and anointed Encarnacion-Strand as the team's Opening Day first baseman the following year.

But Encarnacion-Strand struggled to stay healthy during his Reds' tenure, and he was never able to consistently produce at the big-league level. Across three seasons, he hit .235/.277/.410, and after a poor start to his 2026 campaign, he was designated for assignment.

Encarnacion-Strand latched on with the Baltimore Orioles, and on Monday night against the Boston Red Sox, launched his first Major League home run of the season. The former Reds' slugger crushed a moon shot over the Green Monster at Fenway Park, but a go-ahead homer off the bat of Red Sox infielder Caleb Durbin in the eighth inning stole the show and helped Boston to win their 14th straight game.

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