Remember when the Cincinnati Reds hit the reset button with a sledgehammer? Shipping off guys like Sonny Gay, Luis Castillo, and Jesse Winker, all in the name of a "sustainable" future? Man, that felt like just yesterday. But here we are, after the All-Star break, and the last-place Reds' rebuild is already screaming for a rebuild of its own. What in the world is going on in the Queen City?
Steer's "Average" Bat Is No Longer Cutting It
Back in 2022, when the Reds dealt pitcher Tyler Mahle to the Twins, they snagged Spencer Steer in the deal. He even made his big league debut that same season! After a rock-solid 2023, there was real hope he'd be something significant for their future. But let's be real: across over 2350 career plate appearances, Steer’s got an almost perfectly average 102 OPS+. And get this, from 2024 to 2026, over nearly 1600 PAs, that number actually dips to a slightly below-average 98 OPS+ and 99 wRC+. He's sitting at 103 OPS+ and 103 wRC+ this year, which pretty much just confirms it: this is who he is at the plate. He walks a bit over 9% of the time, which is solid, and strikes out 21-22% , totally fine. He's a good baserunner, and can barrel a ball pretty well despite subpar bat speed. So, yeah, he's settled in as a hitter.The Price Tag On Utility Is Skyrocketing
His defense isn't his top skill, but it's adaptable enough that he was a Gold Glove finalist at first base in 2025 and was even playing center field just last week! A super-utility guy like that? Every good team desperately needs someone who can plug holes. But here's the kicker about "settling in" when it comes to baseball: it’s a finite experience. Free agency inches closer, salaries jump higher, and suddenly teams are paying what they'd like for star production for guys who are the malleable bits on the roster. Because baseball’s arbitration process values arcane, concrete things like homers, RBIs, and steals , all things Steer has compiled with aplomb despite those middling rate stats over the years , he’s already raking in $4 million this year in his first arbitration season. Seriously?Reds Have "Painted Over" Their Own Asset
Steer is set for two more raises in 2027 and 2028 while the team still controls him. But for that kind of cash, you're only getting a grand total of 3.4 fWAR and 2.6 bWAR since the start of the 2024 season. That's hardly jumping off the page, even if it does mean he can give other guys a much-needed day off. The Reds, almost by design, have already painted over Steer. This team needs to rebuild their rebuild, and holding onto an increasingly expensive, yet perfectly average, utility player isn't the way forward. They need to turn that asset into something more impactful if they ever want to crawl out of last place. For the Reds to get this rebuild back on track, they might just have to say goodbye to Spencer Steer.This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.