In their effort to improve on offense, the Mariners have shown interest in Reds utilityman Spencer Steer, reports Adam Jude of the Seattle Times. Cincinnati is not looking to completely rebuild, but the club is one of the clearer sellers in the National League. Steer seems likely to draw interest from multiple contenders given his defensive versatility and steady offensive production.
Seattle begins an important four-game series with Texas tonight. The teams are separated by a half-game in the AL West. Adding a hitter or two would be a nice boost for the Mariners’ playoff push. Only the Blue Jays have scored fewer runs than Seattle this season. The team ranks in the bottom five for both OPS and wOBA.
While he hasn’t been able to replicate his 118 wRC+ from 2023, Steer has been a reliable hitter in the middle of Cincinnati’s lineup the past few seasons. This year has been no different. Steer has a 101 wRC+ across 378 plate appearances heading into Friday’s action. He’s already popped 16 home runs, positioning him to reach the 20-homer mark for the fourth straight year. As has been the case for his whole career, the Reds have moved Steer around the diamond this season. He’s made 40 starts on the right side of the infield and 50 starts in the corner outfield spots. Steer also made a couple of appearances at third base for the first time since 2023.
The Reds run Steer out there basically every day, but he might be better suited for a platoon role. The veteran has a massive 1.062 OPS against left-handers this season. He’s posted a .647 mark vs. right-handed pitching. The gap isn’t as wide for his career, but it’s still significant (.839 vs. .719). Steer would be a fit as a right-handed complement to Luke Raley and Dominic Canzone in the outfield/DH mix. He could have a similar impact at first or second base. Cole Young has been stellar with the glove (10 Defensive Runs Saved), but he’s been overmatched by southpaws (69 wRC+). Josh Naylor has actually been better against same-handed pitching this season, though he’s been much more effective against righties for his career.
Steer isn’t a lock to be traded. Cincinnati has several rental players, but he isn’t one of them. The 28-year-old has two years of club control beyond this season. Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall didn’t rule it out, though. “He’s a great clubhouse guy, a good teammate, and it’d be hard to move him,” Krall told Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Maybe a controllable starting pitcher would be enough to sway the Reds. The Mariners are known to be open to an Emerson Hancock trade. The club’s depth in the rotation has been a conversation throughout the season. It’s only going to continue with prized prospects Kade Anderson and Ryan Sloan knocking on the door. A one-for-one swap might not make sense, but it could be a starting point.
Pitching isn’t a clear area of need for Cincinnati, particularly after locking down Chase Burns on a long-term deal, but the organization wouldn’t balk at adding another young arm. Burns, Hunter Greene, and Andrew Abbott are all under team control through 2029. Hancock is on a similar timeline. His first arbitration year isn’t until 2028. The 27-year-old righty has broken out with a 3.16 ERA in 19 starts this year. Hancock has probably performed a bit above his head, but he has a sub-4.00 xFIP and SIERA. He snagged a rotation spot due to early-season injuries and pitched well enough to keep it.
Photo courtesy of Isaiah J. Downing, Imagn Images
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