DENVER — Reds players are looking for a hot start out of the All-Star break to prevent a Trade Deadline selloff. Simultaneously with scouts in attendance at Coors Field, some of their bigger trade assets delivered performances Friday against the Rockies to showcase their market value.
Brady Singer provided seven well-pitched innings. Eugenio Suárez contributed a double and a home run and Spencer Steer had two homers – including one that was inside-the-park – to give the Reds a 7-2 win over the Rockies.
In a celebratory visitors' clubhouse, the Trade Deadline was on the backburner as players savored the Reds' win.
“I have no idea. I’m just going to go out there and try to give the team a chance to win and try to pitch deep into games and help out as much as I can," said Singer, who allowed two runs and four hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
With a 44-52 record, Cincinnati could be looking at moving several players. Both Singer and Suárez will be free agents after the season and are likely trade chips. Another who could be in high demand is Steer, a multi-position threat who is under club control through 2028.
“To be honest, it’s so out of my control that there’s really no point in thinking about it," Steer said. "I’m just going to be where my feet are and whatever happens, happens. I’m going to show up and play my butt off every day, wherever that is, in the field for whatever team it is.”
Over his last eight starts, Singer has a 2.76 ERA with his last two outings being at least seven innings. He began with a 6.18 ERA over his first 11 games.
The only Reds starter not to spend time on the injured list over the last two seasons, Singer led the club last season with 32 starts and 169 2/3 innings. This season, he has not missed a start because of injury, but was skipped once to regroup amid his rough beginning to 2026.
“Even when he wasn’t pitching like he wanted to, he takes so much pride in being available and taking his start. That’s important," manager Terry Francona said. "Now that he’s throwing the ball well, it makes it even better.”
Singer retired his first 12 batters in a row and carried a 1-0 lead into the fifth inning when TJ Rumfield blooped a leadoff single into short left-center field for his first baserunner. With one out and runners on the corners, Troy Johnston tied the game with a sacrifice fly.
With one runner on in the top of the sixth inning against reliever Jimmy Herget, Steer got a 1-0 sinker that he launched to left field for a two-run homer. Next came Suárez, who shook off a jolt to his left hand from hitting it with the bat knob on the previous swing and slugged an 0-2 Herget sinker to left field for back-to-back homers.
Suárez, who has 12 homers for the season, has homered in three straight games for the first time since July 19-21 of last season.
In the seventh inning, Singer surrendered a Willi Castro solo homer to left field but finished well with back-to-back routine ground balls.
“Earlier in the year, I felt like I was kind of trying to do too much," Singer said. "I don’t know what I was doing. It wasn’t good. Being able to turn the corner feels good right now.”
Leading off the top of the eighth, Steer's drive to right-center field caromed off the wall and got away from the center fielder.
“I knew I hit it well. It’s a big part of the yard," Steer said. "So kind of just running hard out of the box. Then rounding first, I saw the big kick [off the wall] and just started running as fast as I could to try and make something happen.”
Seeing a windmill wave-around from third-base coach Willie Harris, Steer rounded toward home and scored with a headfirst slide as the throw skipped past the plate.
“He got that coming out of the box. And if he’d watched it for a step or two, he either can’t go or he’s out," Francona said.
It was the Reds' first inside-the-park homer since Noelvi Marte against the Pirates on Sept. 24, 2025. The last time a Cincinnati player had a multi-homer game that included one inside-the-park was Elly De La Cruz on April 8, 2024, against the Brewers.
“I think it’s just important that we stack good days," Steer said. "I think that’s one thing we’ve struggled with this year – stacking wins. It starts with winning the series [Saturday] and then taking it day by day after that."