The highly touted first baseman will be sidelined with just one week remaining before the MLB trade deadline.
The Cincinnati Reds' lineup took a huge loss with only one week left before the MLB trade deadline. As of this afternoon, they will be without Spencer Steer for "significant time," according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
Meanwhile, utility player Ivan Johnson will be recalled to the major-league squad from Triple-A Louisville as the corresponding transaction.
Prior to exiting the fifth inning of Sunday's rubber matchup against the NL Central foe St. Louis Cardinals, the 28-year-old first baseman had a .740 OPS throughout 98 games this season. He was also batting .238 while recording 81 hits, 40 RBI and 16 home runs.
Not only do the Reds lose Steer's clutch bat, but they will also be missing his versatility on the field given his ability to effectively play multiple positions including those in the outfield.
“He didn’t fight me to come out of that game,“ manager Terry Francona told reporters. “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.”
Steer had one of his best games yet on July 17 against the Colorado Rockies, going 2-for-4 at the plate while launching his first inside-the-park home run and knocking in three RBIs.
"When I turned first base and saw the kick of the wall, it just kind of ran my little heart out after that," he said. "That's my first one I can remember ever since Little League but that was a fun one right there."
Steer had a similar night on July 10 against the Chicago Cubs, going 3-for-4 at the dish while coming home to score in the seventh inning off a two-run blast by JJ Bleday.
Steer was also electric in Cincinnati's 10-2 blowout victory over the New York Yankees on June 20, logging three RBIs while launching a three-run homer in the fifth.
"Spencer's been a really good player for us," president of baseball operations Nick Krall told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "He's a great clubhouse guy, a good teammate, and it'd be hard to move him."
Despite the untimely injury, a potential Steer trade could still yield the Reds a sizeable haul given his age and him being under team control through 2028.
Now, the Reds will turn their attention to tonight's opener against the Cleveland Guardians as right-hander Chase Burns will take the mound against Francona's former team for the first time in his career.
