This versatile Reds trade target checks every box A.J. Preller loves

There’s a hot commodity in Cincinnati. It’s Spencer Steer, and it’s easy to see why. The Cincinnati Reds have fallen apart after a hot start, and Steer has shown he can play just about anywhere he’s asked, and at a high level. 

For a San Diego Padres team that’s spent much of the season shuffling Fernando Tatis Jr. between second base and right field just to keep the lineup functional, they could really use that flexibility. In fact, it’s arguably the perfect solution to the problem San Diego needs to solve. 

The problem Spencer Steer would actually solve

San Diego’s middle infield hasn’t exactly been the talk of the league, at least not in a good way. Tatis has played a lot of second base out of necessity. Jake Cronenworth, the player who was supposed to be the everyday second baseman, was out for nearly two months after concussion symptoms tied to an April hit-by-pitch caught up to him.

Now that he’s back, he’s playing there most days. He’s been quite good since his return, but even going back to last season, there was talk that a second base upgrade was worth pursuing.

Sung-Mun Song was supposed to be part of that answer, but he struggled. Between that and injuries, the position has turned into a rotation of stopgaps based on who’s hurt and who’s hot. That’s not a knock on any one player, but just the fact that the Padres never actually settled their second base question. 

Steer could be the answer they’re looking for, all while still being able to stay flexible. He’s appeared at first base, second base, third base (four innings, but they still count), left field, center field, and right field this year. He’s never played shortstop, but nobody would be surprised if he could handle it for a day. And he’s nto a bat-only utility guy. He actually was a Gold Glove finalist, and deservedly so, at first base last season. He hasn’t rated well at second this year, but he’s handled the position. 

So that means the versatility comes without the usual tradeoff of watching someone fumble at a spot just to keep his bat in the lineup. He kind of is the perfect definition for AJ Preller and Craig Stammen because he doesn’t force the Padres to choose a path. He can do almost anything he’s asked. If they need him anywhere on the diamond, he’s theoretically up to the task, which allows the roster to get more stable no matter which direction the rest of the deadline breaks.

The contract doesn’t hurt either. He’s making $4 million in 2026 with two more years of arbitration to go. He’s a league average bat and not a star, so the cost for the final two years won’t end up exorbitant. He’s a cost-controlled piece who sticks around, which matters a lot to a front office that’s shown to like multi-year value. 

The Padres aren’t a lock by any stretch. They’re grouped with several other clubs like the Phillies, Mariners, Guardians, Braves, and Marlins as teams that could theoretically use someone like Steer. With plenty of suitors to sort through before they get to San Diego, and other reporting floating Toronto as a strong fit, it could be something that never actually gets close. 

And because he’s not a rental, the return likely won’t be cheap. Multiple years of control at a below-market salary is the sort of asset that can bring back quite a bit. The Reds don’t have to move him either because of all that control, so if they don’t get what they want, they can keep him and shop him either in the offseason or at the next deadline. Preller has never been shy about giving up real prospect capital, but how much does he have to use on a good, not great player, no matter how useful he is? 

Still, there’s logic here. The Reds are almost certainly sellers, which is the sort of position that goes from “fielding calls” to making something happen. Steer isn’t a star, but he’s a low-cost, multi-position bat who can solve a few problems for a Padres team that has used makeshift lineups for far too much of the season. If Preller is looking for the kind of move that doesn’t grab headlines but does help the roster fit, Steer is about as clean a fit as you’ll find this deadline.

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