Spencer Steer’s defense is buying time the Reds may regret giving him

If there’s one thing no one can question about Spencer Steer’s game in 2025, it’s his defense. Unfortunately for the Cincinnati Reds, the same can’t be said about his bat. Steer entered the season valued for his defensive versatility and has since established himself as a key part of Cincinnati’s infield at first base. Quietly, he’s putting together one of the best defensive seasons in all of baseball.

He’s played error-free baseball to this point and has been a defensive anchor on a roster that prides itself on athleticism and run prevention. But there’s a growing reality the Reds can’t afford to ignore much longer. They have to score runs to win games.

And right now, Steer isn’t helping them do that. Through 151 plate appearances, Steer is hitting just .200 with four home runs and 12 RBI. His .609 OPS ranks near the bottom of qualified hitters in the National League, and he’s collected just 28 hits with 38 strikeouts already on his ledger. Simply put, for a player expected to be a key offensive contributor in the middle of the order, he’s not getting the job done.

Spencer Steer is saving runs, but failing to score them to hurting the Reds offense

It’s an unusual contrast for Steer. A player with a career .240 batting average and back-to-back 20-home run seasons under his belt. While Cincinnati’s roster already boasts several capable defenders, Steer’s defensive value is undeniable. Still, there’s only so much the Reds can justify keeping him in the lineup when he’s offering so little offensively.

The situation puts the Reds in a tough spot. On one hand, benching a player who leads his team in defensive runs saved (DRS) and hasn’t committed a single error feels like taking away a major strength. On the other hand, the team sits fourth place in a competitive NL Central where run production — not just run prevention, could be the deciding factor between making the playoffs or not.

There’s still time for Steer to turn things around offensively, and Cincinnati will likely give him every opportunity to do so. After all, his defensive impact is undeniable and they are still battling injuries to Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jeimer Candelario. But if the bat doesn’t heat up soon, the Reds may be forced to consider more drastic lineup adjustments.

If Steer can at least climb his way to league-average rhythm at the plate, he could transform from a defensive specialist, back into one of the more complete players on the roster. For now, his glove will continue carrying all the weight — and that’s a risky formula.

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