Spencer Steer’s Sunday exit added a fresh wrinkle to a Reds team already sorting through trade-deadline possibilities.
The Cincinnati utility man hurt his right wrist while swinging against the St. Louis Cardinals, fouled the pitch off, and immediately began shaking the wrist before leaving the game. Edwin Arroyo took his place.
Steer has been one of the names circulating in trade chatter, with multiple teams reportedly interested and the Seattle Mariners among them. He’s been a useful all-around piece for Cincinnati, hitting .238/.319/.421 with 16 home runs and 40 RBI while handling both the outfield and infield.
Those 16 homers have him on pace to top his career-best 23, which he set as a rookie in 2023. He is expected to undergo X-rays on his hand, with more information to come once it’s available.
How the Reds handle Steer from here could depend on the severity of the injury. If it’s minor, he can still stay in the trade mix. If it’s more serious, that could change the return Cincinnati gets back.
Tyler Stephenson is another name to watch as the deadline approaches. He’s in the final year of his contract and has been swinging a hot bat for more than a month.
Over his last 30 games, the 29-year-old is hitting .333/.377/.525 with four home runs and 11 RBI. He’s also become a standout in ABS challenges, leading the league in overturns.
Earlier this season, he went 5-5 in ABS challenges, and he also won a challenge that helped secure pizza for Reds fans after the call led to the team’s 11th strikeout of the game. Stephenson has been linked to the Yankees and White Sox, though more clubs could jump in before the deadline.
Brady Singer is also drawing attention. Over his last seven starts, he’s gone 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA, 41 strikeouts, 12 walks, and a 1.02 WHIP.
Like Stephenson, Singer is in the final year of his contract and will be a free agent after the season. The White Sox have been mentioned as a possible landing spot.
Other names in the mix include Eugenio Suarez, Nathaniel Lowe, JJ Bleday, and, less likely, Hunter Greene. Cincinnati has won its first two series coming out of the All-Star break and sits six games back in the Wild Card race. The expectation is that the Reds will still sell what they can, though they may lean toward a softer sell if they want to keep one eye on being competitive in 2027.
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Cardinals Linked To Intriguing Outfield Gamble As Deadline Pressure Builds
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One name being floated as a possible fit is a Rockies outfielder whose profile makes him the kind of gamble contenders sometimes explore in July. The attraction is obvious enough: a player with upside, years of control and the chance to be more than a short-term rental if the bat comes around, even if the current production has been uneven. For St. Louis, the question is whether this is the sort of low-cost swing that makes sense now, or the kind of deadline bet that only looks smart if the rebound comes quickly. [Read more 🡒]