Spencer Steer fought through injury and now the Reds are reaping the rewards

Coming off a 20-20 season in 2024, Spencer Steer was expected to be a key driver of the Cincinnati Reds’ offense. However, shoulder trouble limited his work in spring training, and he got off to an abysmal start while restricted to a DH role. Fortunately, Steer is back on the infield dirt, which seems to have helped him find his rhythm.

Entering April 29, Steer was slashing .300/.382/.433 since resuming the first base job. The improvement shouldn’t come as a surprise; he’s been a terrible DH throughout his career. Steer’s batting average is more than 100 points higher when he plays the field. His slugging percentage is more than 200 points higher.

Reds slugger Spencer Steer is finally coming out of his funk thanks to regular starts at first base

Steer isn’t completely himself yet, as he went 0-for-4 against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 28. He has been showing greater resilience lately, which could help him avoid a prolonged slump after the disappointing performance. Each of his two prior hitless nights have been followed by a multi-hit game. If he can duplicate the feat, Reds fans could start to breathe a sigh of relief.

Over his career, Steer is familiar with such slumps. He tends to go through a spell like this once per season. Last year, he went cold in late July and hit .164 with 12 strikeouts over 15 games. Similarly, he averaged .188 with 18 strikeouts over a 17-game span in late April 2023. In both cases, he went on a hot streak with an OPS of at least .950 for the same amount of time immediately thereafter.

Steer’s improved performance at the plate could not come at a better time. The Reds are closing in on the Cubs and are midway through a stretch of six series against sub-.500 teams. In the current homestand, Cincinnati faces the Cardinals and Nationals, who have a combined 6–21 record on the road as of April 29.

Steer feasts at Great American Ball Park. His swing is built to pull the ball in the air to left, and GABP is one of two ballparks in which he would have hit more home runs if he were to only play games in that park. If he can carry a hot bat and launch a few balls into the seats, the Reds have an opportunity to live up to their lofty preseason expectations.

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