Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer enjoyed a solid afternoon against the St. Louis Cardinals' pitching staff as he went 2-for-3 with a home run, one RBI, one run scored, and one walk. There was a rain delay in this game, but that didn't stop Steer and the Reds from producing at the plate, as they went on to win 9-1 to salvage getting swept in the three-game series against the Cardinals. Steer has gotten off to a slow start to the season, as he missed most of spring training with a shoulder injury, but has come on of late, slashing .286/.355/.500 in his last seven days. On the season, he is still slashing .189/.267/.316 with three home runs, 15 RBI, and nine runs scored. Fantasy managers who have held on this long may reap the benefits soon, as Steer has hit 20-plus home runs in the last two seasons and is a career .241 hitter.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Spencer Steer went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and two runs scored in Friday's 8-7 win over the Rockies. Steer was back at first base for the fourth straight game after opening the season exclusively as a DH, and has gone 5-for-17 (.294) over that time. Perhaps more importantly, he's struck out just once in his last 20 plate appearances (5.0 percent) after striking out 18 times in his first 59 PA (30.5 percent). After back-to-back 20-home run campaigns, hopefully Friday's home run gets the right-handed hitter going. The Reds get another shot at the Rockies in Colorado on Saturday against Antonio Senzatela, and although Steer has no matchup history with the pitcher, the righty sports a 4.81 ERA and 1.93 WHIP, making all of Cincinnati's hitters viable DFS options.

Cincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer will cede starting first base duties to corner infielder Jeimer Candelario on Tuesday. Steer had started the last two games at first for the Reds while Candelario was on the bench. Neither player has been very productive thus far, with Steer registering a .195 wOBA and 14 wRC+ over 70 plate appearances (PA), while Candelario has a .221 wOBA and 31 wRC+ over 70 PA. The switch-hitting Candelario will go up against the Marlins' RHP Edward Cabrera on Tuesday in Miami, with the 31-year-old going 3-for-4 with a double, home run, and no strikeouts in his career versus the righty. Despite his struggles this season, that type of matchup history could make Candelario a viable DFS play for this contest.

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) is getting close to being ready to play first base. "It won't be very long," Francona said. Steer is out of the starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Seattle Mariners. Outfielder Austin Hays is serving as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup against Mariners right-hander Emerson Hancock. A right-shoulder injury has limited Steer to DH duties early this year, and he's hit just .120 (6-for-50) with a home run and three RBI in the early going. Fantasy managers will be hoping that the 27-year-old will come around offensively as his shoulder gets closer to 100%. With Christian Encarnacion-Strand (back) now on the injured list, using Steer at first base would allow the Reds to move Jeimer Candelario back to third base.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder/infielder Spencer Steer will begin Tuesday's game against the visiting Seattle Mariners on the bench at Great American Ball Park. Austin Hays (calf), who is making his season debut, will serve as the designated hitter and bat fifth against Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo. Due to a shoulder injury he dealt with in spring training, Steer has yet to appear on defense so far in 2025. However, the 27-year-old has been ramping up his throwing of late and could make his first start on defense soon, which might be bad news for first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand. Steer's shoulder could be affecting him at the plate as well, as he's started the 2025 campaign hitting just .109 (5-for-46) with a homer, two doubles, three RBI, four walks and 12 strikeouts in his first 13 games. Fantasy managers may want to steer clear of Steer for now until he breaks out of his early slump.

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that outfielder/infielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) will take his throwing program to the next step and will start working on throws from first base over the next few days. Steer battled a right-shoulder injury in spring training and has only served as a designated for the Reds early in the season while he rehabs his arm. The 27-year-old is the DH and is batting cleanup on Friday against the division-rival Pittsburgh Pirates. It's very possible his shoulder is responsible for his slow start at the plate in 2025 as well, as Steer comes into Friday's series opener against the Bucs hitting just .143 (5-for-35) with one home run, two doubles, three RBI, four runs scored, three walks and nine strikeouts in 38 trips to the plate over 10 games played. The good news is that it sounds like his shoulder is feeling better.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer hit his first home run of the 2025 season Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers. During the afternoon, Steer went 1-for-3, with the home run being a solo shot against Chad Patrick in the fifth inning. Steer has gotten off to an incredibly slow start, holding a .083/.154/.208 slash line and a 26.9 percent strike out rate in 26 plate appearences. He missed considerable time in spring training with a minor shoulder injury, so fantasy managers can remain optimistic that the home run on Sunday is a sign of good things to come. Over the past two seasons, Steer has hit 40 home runs and driven in 178 RBI, so his slow start can likely be attributed to the injury during Spring Training.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder/corner infielder Spencer Steer is not in the team's lineup for Saturday against the Brewers. Steer was originally scheduled for a day off Friday but entered the lineup when Matt McLain (hamstring) had to be scratched. Steer entered the lineup hitting second, but he'll start Saturday's game on the bench, even though there is no word of any injury. The 27-year-old righty is just 1-for-21 (.048) in the early going this season with an 0.72 wOBA after he missed considerable time in spring training with a minor shoulder injury. He has been struggling along with the rest of the Reds' lineup, but hopefully the day off will reset him and help him find his groove going forward.

Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (hamstring) has been scratched from the lineup on Friday against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field with a tight left hamstring, which happened a few days ago, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. McLain was out on the field to start pre-game warmups but then met with trainers before heading to the clubhouse. With McLain now out of the lineup, Santiago Espinal will start at second base and will hit eighth against Brewers left-hander Tyler Alexander. Spencer Steer, who was originally scheduled for a day off, will now serve as the designated hitter and bat second. Jeimer Candelario is at third and hitting fifth. For now, fantasy managers should remove McLain from their starting lineups and consider him day-to-day. The 25-year-old former first-rounder has six hits in his first 27 at-bats this year, but with three homers, five RBI and one steal.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder/corner infielder Spencer Steer is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener against the division-rival Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field. Jeimer Candelario is serving as the designated hitter and is batting fifth, while Santiago Espinal is playing third base and batting eighth against Brewers left-hander Tyler Alexander. Candelario has never faced Alexander in his career, while Espinal is hitless in just three at-bats. When considering that Steer only played in three spring training games due to a minor shoulder injury, it isn't all that surprising that he's off to just a 1-for-18 start to the 2025 regular season at the plate. The 27-year-old right-handed hitter has yet to play on defense because of his shoulder, either, being limited to DH duties. Candelario hasn't been much better, going 5-for-25 with three RBI, two walks and eight strikeouts in seven games played.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder/corner infielder Spencer Steer is out of the team's starting lineup on Saturday against the visiting San Francisco Giants at Great American Ball Park. Despite an off day on Friday, Steer will take a seat for Game 2 of the regular season following an 0-for-4 performance on Opening Day on Thursday in which he went down on strikes three times. The 27-year-old was dealing with a shoulder issue in spring training that limited him to just seven plate appearances in the Cactus League, so the Reds aren't going to push him early on in 2025. With Steer sitting against San Fran, Jeimer Candelario will serve as the designated hitter for the Reds and Santiago Espinal will start at third base against Giants veteran right-hander Justin Verlander. Candelario and Espinal have a combined 14 career at-bats against Verlander, and they've both taken him deep once.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman/outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) will be active on Opening Day. Earlier in camp, the Reds said that Steer would open the campaign on the injured list. However, he was able to progress and will not miss the start of the campaign. However, starting left fielder Austin Hays (calf) will instead be placed on the 10-day injured list. During camp, Steer has played exclusively as a designated hitter, which suggests he will not be able to play in the field at the start of the season. Last summer, Steer appeared in 158 contests and posted a .225/.319/.402 slash line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. Under the hood, he generated a modest .315 xwOBA with a low .235 xBA. However, he placed in the 73rd percentile in sprint speed. Fantasy managers should expect the 27-year-old to have an everyday spot in the lineup and does carry a high-floor in category formats given his ability to hit for power and steal bases.

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Gordon Wittenmyer reports that Cincinnati Reds corner infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) will open the season on the injured list. While Steer's shoulder injury isn't considered serious -- he played in a minor-league game on Thursday -- the Reds are playing it safe and holding him out to open the 2025 regular season. The 27-year-old was initially shut down due to his ailing shoulder in late February, and he just hasn't had enough at-bats to be trusted in the starting lineup early on. However, barring a setback on a minor-league rehab assignment to start the year, Steer should definitely make his season debut in the big leagues by the end of April. With Steer opening on the IL, the biggest beneficiary to open the regular season is likely to be Austin Hays in left field.

Cincinnati Reds infielder/outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) will resume throwing in camp on Tuesday, and the Reds are still holding out hope that he can avoid a stint on the injured list to start the 2025 regular season, per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. However, it's probably going to be a close call, as Steer hasn't played in a spring training game since February as he works his way back from a cortisone shot for his balky shoulder. The 27-year-old, who played through a shoulder strain in 2024, has been swinging a bat in drills for the last week, and MRI exams haven't shown any structural damage. If Steer is forced to open the season on the IL, Jeimer Candelario would likely open the year at third base, with Christian Encarnacion-Strand being the primary first baseman across the diamond. Steer has only had seven plate appearances in Cactus League games, so don't rule out a slow start for him at the plate.

Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reports that Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) took swings in the batting cage on Wednesday. However, he has not resumed throwing. It's a critical step for the 27-year-old, who hadn't picked up a bat since receiving a cortisone shot in his shoulder on Mar. 1. "It's been progressing well," said Steer, "Hopefully, it continues." While he appears to be progressing well, Sheldon notes that the versatile outfielder is still likely to begin the season on the injured list. Still, the former third-round pick isn't yet giving up hope. "I wouldn't count it out yet, I really wouldn't. But it's getting close." Steer notched his first 20/20 season in 2024, though he projects as a better option in points leagues unless his average climbs back up toward the .271 he hit in 2023. He's currently sitting around the top 100 in ADP.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman/outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) could open the season on the injured list. Manager Terry Francona said they are taking "as much time as necessary" to ensure his shoulder is right. Steer has battled a lingering shoulder injury throughout camp. He was scratched from Saturday's lineup and received two cortisone shots. Steer has been primarily deployed as designated hitter as he is still unable to play the field. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status throughout camp as another setback could put him in danger of missing Opening Day. Last season, the 27-year-old saw time primarily at first base and the outfield and held a .225/.319/.402 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. He held a high 11.0 percent walk rate but generated a low .235 xBA. If he were to miss time at the start of the season, Christian Encarnacion-Strand would see most of the starts at first base and Austin Hays would have a starting role in left field.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder/infielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) received a cortisone shot on Saturday which will keep him sidelined for a few days. Steer was a late scratch from Saturday's contest who is still dealing with his lingering shoulder injury. Steer was set to begin a throwing program earlier in the week but felt shoulder discomfort. As a result, he has only seen action as a designated hitter during spring training. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status during camp as a further setback could put him in danger of being limited to begin the regular season. Last season across 158 contests, Steer spent time at first base and the outfield and held a .225/.319/.402 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. If this injury continues to linger, he may have to open the season operating primarily as a designated hitter.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) is set to begin throwing on Monday. Steer has been unable to play the field during the early part of spring training due to a sore right shoulder. He has only been able to serve as a designated hitter. However, fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as he could be cleared to play the field in the coming weeks. Last season, the 27-year-old spent most of his time in left field and first base. However, he did see occasional starts at second base and shortstop. Across 158 games, Steer posted a .225/.319/.402 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. When cleared for defensive action, fantasy managers should expect Steer to primarily spend time in left field alongside Austin Hays and first base alongside Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) is set to begin spring training games as a designated hitter. Steer has been dealing with a shoulder injury during camp and is set to be eased into action. The 27-year-old is expected to begin throwing soon and could eventually shift to first base if not cleared to play the outfield. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status, as a setback could force him into a full-time role at DH or first base. Last season, Steer spent most of his time in left field and first base but made occasional starts at second and third base. Across 158 contests, Steer posted a .225/.319/.402 line with 20 home runs and 25 stolen bases. Given his defensive flexibility, Steer should also have a spot in the everyday lineup, making him a solid depth outfielder in all formats. However, if he shifted primarily to first base, he could block Christian Encarnacion-Strand from an everyday role.

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona said that first baseman/outfielder Spencer Steer (shoulder) "is going to start throwing here fairly soon." Steer dealt with right-shoulder soreness late last season, and it has followed him into the early part of spring training, causing the Reds to play it safe with him early on. Cincy will probably also ease him into Cactus League games as a designated hitter before having him play defense. But barring a setback for the 27-year-old's shoulder, he has plenty of time to get ready for Opening Day in late March. Steer has plenty of flaws as a hitter but has an excellent home park, managed a 20-20 season in 2024 and also led the Reds with 92 RBI. He finished with a weak .225 batting average and doesn't make enough consistent hard contact to be an asset there, although he could rebound slightly after his shoulder injury late last year led to a weak finish.