Versatile Reds infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right wrist sprain on Monday, a day after Steer exited in the midst of an at-bat after taking an uncomfortable swing against Cardinals starter Kyle Leahy. The move sidelines a potentially valuable trade chip with just a week to go before the 2026 Trade Deadline.
Steer lunged across home plate and fouled a pitch off to the stands down the first-base line in the fifth inning on Sunday at Busch Stadium, shaking out his right hand and circling around the plate before manager Terry Francona and an athletic trainer met him on the field. After a brief conversation, Steer was replaced by Edwin Arroyo, who lined out to shortstop after inheriting an 0-2 count.
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Steer has played every position other than pitcher, catcher and shortstop for the Reds this season, piling up consistent offensive production even as he bounces around the diamond. His 16 homers and 40 RBIs both rank fourth on the Reds in 2026, and he has been widely reported as a possible trade target as a righty power bat ahead of the Deadline. Steer is under team control though the 2028 season.
“He didn’t fight me to come out of that game,” Francona said of Steer. “That makes me nervous. We’ll get him looked at, we’ll get him imaged, and then they’re setting up an appointment with the hand specialist.”
A Trade Deadline sell-off is not a foregone conclusion for the Reds, but Cincinnati enters the week five games back of Arizona for the third National League Wild Card spot.
Infielder/outfielder Ivan Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Louisville in a corresponding move.
Jeff Jones contributed to this story.