ST. LOUIS − Spencer Steer's mid-game departure from the Cincinnati Reds-St. Louis Cardinals seriesfinale is a concerning development for the Reds no matter how they look at it.
Steer on July 26 left the Reds-Cardinals game at Busch Stadium mid-at-bat with what the team called "right wrist pain." He departed after fouling off a pitch, and midseason call-up Edwin Arroyo took over for Steer in the at-bat.
There's still more to be learned about the injury, but losing Steer for any period of time at this juncture in the season would be inopportune to say the least.
Steer has been the subject of trade speculation involving multiple teams ahead of the Aug. 3 deadline
for deals, and an injury could cool that market down on him.
If Steer remains with Cincinnati, his absence still hurts because of his defensive versatility and solid offensive contributions. Steer in 2026 had proven himself a valuable, reliable commodity for the Reds.
Entering play July 26, Steer was hitting .240 with a .743 OPS and 16 home runs. He'd played six different positions defensively for Cincinnati and was a National League Gold Glove finalist at first base in 2025.
More than half of the 48 appearances he'd made at first base in 2026 were as a substitute, and he played 53 games as an outfielder, plus 17 combined games at second base and third base.
The Enquirer will update this report.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Possible MLB trade target Spencer Steer exits Reds game early
