The Cincinnati Reds’ season is winding down with more injury news than they’d like, and Wednesday brought updates on two players headed for surgery.
Spencer Steer is set for right wrist surgery next Wednesday in Phoenix, according to MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon. Terry Francona told reporters Wednesday afternoon that Steer felt something while trying to swing a bat last week. The recovery timeline is hopeful in one sense: Steer is expected to be ready for Spring Training in 2027.
Even so, it’s a frustrating turn for a player who had been on track to play in the Arizona Fall League if everything broke the right way. Now the priority shifts fully to rehab and recovery.
Steer’s season at the plate was solid, if not spectacular, with a .238/.319/.421 line, 30 extra-base hits and 16 home runs. His value goes beyond the bat, too, since his ability to handle multiple positions gives the Reds some lineup flexibility. Still, getting his offense back in the mix matters just as much for a team that needs more production.
Tony Santillan’s surgery was less of a surprise. Sheldon reported that Santillan will have left hip surgery Thursday in Nashville to repair a labral tear.
Francona said Tuesday there was a good chance Santillan would have hip surgery this week, and he noted the reliever had been feeling the issue since the team’s trip to Los Angeles.
Santillan’s year was derailed by multiple injuries, and the numbers reflect it. In 44 appearances, he finished with a 6.42 ERA and a 7.06 FIP over 40 2/3 innings. The Reds needed more from him, and the health problems help explain why they didn’t get it.
For both players, the immediate task is simple: get healthy. And with the offseason already carrying plenty for the Reds to sort through, these surgeries only add to the uncertainty heading toward 2027.
There was also a bright spot Tuesday night in Atlanta, where Eugenio Suarez reached another milestone by launching the 350th home run of his career. That made him the 10th active player to get there.
The homer was his 214th as a Red, which moved him into ninth place on the franchise’s all-time list. Suarez entered the season in 13th and has since moved past Brandon Phillips, Barry Larkin, Eric Davis and Ken Griffey Jr.
He has now posted at least 25 home runs in eight seasons, including four in Cincinnati, and he is six RBIs away from becoming the ninth player in Reds history with 1,000 games, 200 home runs, 600 RBIs and 500 runs scored.
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Reds Are Quietly Testing Two New Pieces For A Bigger Role
The Reds have spent the stretch quietly sorting through some less-heralded additions, and Juan Brito has already started to stand out as one of them. Cincinnati claimed Brito and Oswaldo Cabrera off waivers, bringing in two versatile pieces who fit the kind of roster flexibility teams often prize long before a bigger opportunity opens up. Brito has been getting regular run lately, and the early returns have shown a player who looks more comfortable at the plate while also giving the club some defensive options.
Cabrera brings a different kind of appeal, one that can matter to a manager trying to cover a lot of ground with a limited bench. The switch-hitter can handle seven positions and spent most of the year in Triple-A before arriving in Cincinnati, which makes him the sort of depth addition that can quietly grow into something more if the bat follows the glove. Terry Francona has sounded encouraged by both players, and the Reds at least appear willing to see whether either can become part of the bigger picture by 2027. [Read more 🡒]
Elly De La Cruz Is Closing In On Rare Reds History
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The numbers have placed De La Cruz near the top of the conversation in WAR and batting production, but Terry Francona has kept the focus on the broader picture rather than the milestone chase. For the Reds, that balance matters: De La Cruz is putting himself on the verge of special history, yet the emphasis inside the room remains on playing the game the right way and letting the rest sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]
Elly De La Cruz Is Closing In On Rare Reds History
Elly De La Cruz spent another night nudging himself toward a rare slice of Reds history in a 4-0 win over the Braves, homering for his 29th of the season and stealing his 29th base in the same game. The performance kept the spotlight on just how complete his year has been, while also putting him on the doorstep of the Reds 30/30 club, a threshold that still carries real weight around the organization.
There was plenty else worth noting in the win, too. Sal Stewart moved to 110 RBIs and remained one behind the major league lead among rookies, and Eugenio Surez reached his 350th career home run. Even with those milestones piling up, Terry Francona kept the message simple, stressing the importance of playing the game the right way rather than turning every night into a chase for individual markers. [Read more 🡒]