The Cincinnati Reds may have some real offseason decisions to make, and Spencer Steer sits right in the middle of them.
Steer is a veteran utility man who is running out of team control, which puts the Reds in a tricky spot. They can keep him and try to build with him, or they can move him before they risk losing him to free agency when his contract is up. He was already a trade candidate at the deadline this year, but an injury kept that from happening.
If Cincinnati does put him on the market, the New York Yankees make a lot of sense as a possible landing spot. New York is looking for help, especially in the lineup and across the infield, and it has the prospect capital to chase a bigger move this winter.
The Yankees already tried to address the position by bringing in Ryan McMahon, but that move hasn’t really worked out. He has struggled in the Bronx. On top of that, Jazz Chisholm Jr. is set to hit free agency this winter, and Trent Grisham is also set to become a free agent, which only adds to the roster uncertainty.
Steer would give the Yankees something they need: a versatile, productive veteran who can move around the diamond. He can handle third base, second base, and the corner outfield spots, and that kind of flexibility would matter a lot for a team with several questions in those areas. He also fits the kind of hard-nosed style New York has long liked.
For Cincinnati, any deal would have to bring back significant talent. Steer is not supposed to be the Reds’ top offseason priority, but he also shouldn’t be treated like someone who is completely off limits. If the Yankees push hard enough, this is the kind of trade that could get done.
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The Reds have plenty to think about beyond one looming contract, and that matters here. They have roster needs to juggle and limited appetite for a market that could get expensive quickly, even as Stephensons future remains unsettled and speculation builds about where he might land by 2027. For now, the clubs position looks clear enough: interest is out there, but so are the realities that make a reunion far from automatic. [Read more 🡒]