Spencer Steer injury update gives Reds a clear trade deadline priority

On Monday, the Cincinnati Reds placed Spencer Steer on the 10-day injured list with a sprained right wrist and recalled infielder/ outfielder Ivan Johnson from Triple-A Louisville. Steer suffered the injury during the top of the fifth inning on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Steer made an awkward swing at a 1-0 pitch from Cardinals' right-hander Kyle Leahy and was replaced by Edwin Arroyo. With the Reds' super utility player out for what ESPN's Buster Olney says will be a significant amount of time, their trade deadline strategy should be obvious. It's time to sell.

Spencer Steer injury update gives the Reds no choice but to sell at the trade deadline

Regardless of Steer's health, this was always the most likely scenario. Cincinnati had fallen out of playoff contention weeks ago, and despite a recent streak of three straight series wins on the road to begin the second half, the Reds remain five games back in the NL Wild Card hunt. But with one of their best players now on the shelf, the Reds should look to reload for the 2027 season.

The Reds have been rumored to be shopping several players who are on expiring contracts, and Steer himself had even been linked to a handful of teams with the trade deadline now a week away. His right-handed bat and two additional years of team control reportedly caught the attention of the Seattle Mariners last week, and even the New York Yankees were rumored to be kicking the tires on a trade for Steer.

One has to wonder if this situation now thrusts JJ Bleday into the trade spotlight. Both he and Steer won't reach free agency until after the 2028 season, and while both had been linked in trade rumors of late, it's doubtful Cincinnati would've been willing to trade both. Bleday's a left-handed hitter, so he may not be as high demand as Steer, but a team looking for some thump in the lineup might definitely give the Reds a call.

This is Steer's first trip to the injured list in his Major League career. He was initially placed on the IL at the outset of last season, but after Austin Hays suffered an injury before Opening Day, Steer stepped up and took on the team's DH duties for the first month of the season while still recovering from a shoulder injury he suffered in 2024. His bat will definitely be missed.

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