Spencer Steer just made every Reds trade conversation a whole lot harder

The Cincinnati Reds have about two weeks to prove to themselves (and the rest of the baseball world) that they have no intention of being sellers at this year's trade deadline. The team's 7-2 win over the Colorado Rockies on Friday night at Coors Field was a good start, but there's a long way to go.

Conventional wisdom suggests that the Reds' (44-52) seven-game deficit in the NL Wild Card race will push them to sell ahead of the August 3 deadline. A number of names have been floated as possible trade candidates, but Spencer Steer is one that's gained a lot of traction in recent weeks, and with good reason.

The 28-year-old is a versatile fielder who's had tremendous success against left-handed pitching throughout his career. In a market that's said to be short on right-handed bats, Steer stands out as a logical trade fit for a number of suitors.

But those qualities are the same reasons that Cincinnati may want to hang on to their super-utility star. Steer put together quite the performance during Cincinnati's victory on Friday night, going 2-for-4 with a pair of home runs — one of which was an inside-the-parker.

The idea of trading Steer isn't necessarily foolish. He's arguably one of the organization's best assets given the current roster construction and market desires of other clubs. Steer — though he's an everyday player — is a man without a position. He's played all three outfield spots this season, and has also seen time at first, second, and third base.

Spencer Steer is part of the Reds future — but only if they hope to contend

The issue at hand isn't Steer's skillset; that matter is settled. But do the Reds view themselves as contenders heading into the 2027 season, or are they looking to enter yet another rebuild?

If the answer is the former, keeping Steer would seem to be the prudent move. But if Cincinnati's leadership doesn't view 2027 as an opportunity to contend for a spot in the postseason, Steer should be on the trade block ahead of the August 3 deadline.

But if that's truly the Reds' line of thinking, Steer won't be the only player linked in trade rumors over the next couple of weeks. All of the sudden, JJ Bleday and Andrew Abbott become a realistic trade candidates, and a potential rebuild would suddenly have teams inquiring about Elly De La Cruz's availability as well.

It seems unlikely that the Reds would actually go down this path. With a core of De La Cruz, Abbott, Chase Burns, Hunter Greene, and Sal Stewart all under team control for at least the next three seasons, entering a rebuild feels like a bridge too far.

Nonetheless, the Reds rumors will continue to persist for the next few weeks, and Steer will be among the names continually tossed about as a potential trade chip.

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