CINCINNATI — For the Reds lineup, losing a versatile player like Spencer Steer is no small thing. It also, perhaps, has big ramifications in the context of the Trade Deadline.
An infielder and outfielder, Steer was placed on the 10-day injured list on Monday with what the club termed a right wrist sprain. It came after Steer exited in the midst of an at-bat, when he took an uncomfortable swing against Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy at Busch Stadium on Sunday.
Trades and Transactions presented by CohnReznick
• 2026 Trade Deadline: Aug. 3, 6 p.m. ET
• Latest trade buzz and rumors
• Tracking every trade
“I didn’t tear a tendon. I tore the sheath, basically what keeps the tendon intact or in place," Steer said inside the Reds clubhouse at Great American Ball Park. "So not a complete tear, which is positive. The hope is that the partial tear will heal and I’ll be back ready to go."
Steer, 28, will be in a splint for two weeks and get rest and treatment.
“Hopefully after two weeks, check it out and if I made the right amount of progress, go from there and hopefully be on my way to getting back into games," Steer said.
By resting, Steer hopes to avoid surgery that with only a little over two months remaining on the schedule would be season-ending.
“If I’m not getting the results that I need, then we can look at other options," Steer said. "I believe this is something that can be treated without surgery so that’s what we’re going to try first.”
Steer noted that he first felt something during his previous at-bat
“It kind of just felt weird, I didn’t really think anything of it," he said. "It didn’t really hurt at the time. Obviously that next at-bat, it really bothered me a good amount.”
Then in the fifth inning, Steer lunged across home plate as he fouled a pitch and came away shaking out his right hand and circling around the plate before manager Terry Francona and a head trainer Sean McQueeney came to check him out. Steer was replaced by Edwin Arroyo, who lined out to shortstop after inheriting an 0-2 count.
“Believe me when I say he plays through a lot. That’s why I went out to see him the other day and he wasn’t fighting me, I got nervous in a hurry," Francona said.
Steer overcame a slow first month and is batting .238 with a .739 OPS, 16 home runs and 40 RBIs in 98 games this season.
“Oh man, he’s just one of the best teammates you’ll ever find," Francona said. "That doesn’t change with a bad wrist. But he’s what you’re looking for.”
The move sidelines a potentially valuable trade chip with exactly one week to go before the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline. Steer is under club control through the 2028 season. That and his versatility make him an intriguing option for some contending clubs.
Cincinnati entered Monday five games back of Arizona for the third National League Wild Card spot.
For the Reds on the field, Steer was able to be plugged into almost any position and he played everywhere this season except for pitcher, catcher and shortstop.
“It’s really, really valuable," Francona said. “Even when he came out of the game, our options were severely limited.”
The Reds recalled infielder/outfielder Ivan Johnson from Triple-A Louisville in the corresponding move. They decided not to activate second baseman Matt McLain, who has been on the IL with a left calf strain since July 8. McLain, who has struggled to hit for much of the season, has been on a rehab assignment since Friday with Louisville and will continue there after Monday's day off.
“He’s at the manager’s discretion, which means you can turn him loose," Francona said. "But I think we want him to play a little bit because I think it’d be good for him.”
As for Steer, he will try to get back at some point in the 2026 season.
“It’s a bummer," he said. "I don’t think now is a time to sulk or pout. It’s over with. Best thing I can do is believe my body is going to heal itself. Stay positive, be a good person, be a good teammate and I’ll be back when I’m back.”