​The Cincinnati Reds opened the season on a hot streak but have since cooled, and now look more like trade deadline sellers than postseason contenders. With the team increasingly likely to move players this summer rather than add, Eugenio Suárez and any other Red who could become a free agent after the 2026 season might be on the move. Yet there is another player under club control for a bit longer who has already begun drawing interest.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Reds are already generating “plenty of interest” in utilityman Spencer Steer ahead of the MLB trade deadline. “The Cincinnati Reds already are getting plenty of interest in Spencer Steer, who can play first base, third base, and left field,” Nightengale writes. “He’ll be in high demand with so few impact bats available at the deadline.”
Steer would be a highly attractive trade target for many clubs around MLB. If there were a Reds player most worth trading this summer for a substantial return, it would likely be Steer. Numerous teams will be seeking right-handed hitters, and Steer—the 28-year-old right-handed hitter who can handle corner infield and outfield duties while also playing some middle-infield if needed—has already drawn considerable interest. He is under club control through the 2028 season, giving acquiring teams 2.5 years of control, and, perhaps most importantly, he is a solid hitter.
This season in 90 games across 311 at-bats, Steer has posted a .748 OPS and a .244 batting average. He has recorded 76 hits, 52 runs, 13 doubles, 14 home runs, 36 RBIs, 34 walks, and three stolen bases. His versatility and consistent power make him appealing to teams with a need for a right-handed hitter who can contribute across multiple positions. In his first full season in 2023, Steer hit 23 homers, followed by 20 in 2024 and 21 in 2025; this season, he appears on pace for another 20-homer year, with a home-run rate 4.0% higher than at any point in his career.
Steer’s blend of flexibility and power continues to drive the trade interest, and it remains a real possibility that he could be moved this summer if the Reds cannot close the gap in the postseason race and receive a compelling offer for the controllable asset. As the deadline approaches on August 3, the Reds could opt to trade Steer if a strong-enough deal presents itself, allowing them to accelerate a rebuild or retool around future pieces while still obtaining value for a veteran with broad appeal.
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