How Spencer Steer injury hurts Reds' trade deadline plans

The Cincinnati Reds should be one of the more active clubs at next week's trade deadline. 

Near the bottom of the National League standings, the Reds are one of MLB's most obvious sellers. 

They had at least one player who could've been their "best trade asset" but he is now on the injured list. 

"Spencer Steer is an experienced right-handed hitter with positional versatility, and in some respects, he might've been the Reds' best trade asset," ESPN's Buster Olney wrote. "But he suffered a hand/wrist injury in Sunday's game that will prompt Cincinnati to place him on the injured list, and he's going to miss a significant period of time." 

Essentially, Steer's injury takes him off the trade market. He's hitting .238/.319/.421 with 16 home runs and a 101 OPS+ this season. 

If he were healthy, there's a chance the Reds could have acquired at least one or two lower-level prospects in return. Steer does not reach free agency until the conclusion of the 2028 season. 

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Instead of trading the veteran, the Reds have several other pieces they could now look towards to move. 

"The Reds, in the midst of a disappointing season, have seven pending free agents they could potentially move, from Brady Singer to Eugenio Suarez, and could be among the more active teams before next week's deadline," Olney added. 

Cincinnati wasn't in a rush to trade Steer, but his value on a market that is thin with right-handed hitting outfielders could've helped boost their farm system as early as this year. 

More MLB news:

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• Red Sox ‘would love’ to trade for Angels’ Zach Neto or Astros’ Jeremy Pena
• Padres likely not to trade Mason Miller amid latest update
• Tigers expected to trade Tarik Skubal but still try to contend without him
• Mets ‘desperate’ to trade Luis Robert Jr. after trade failure