Why Reds' Spencer Steer changed course, scheduled surgery on wrist
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Why Reds' Spencer Steer changed course, scheduled surgery on wrist
Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer·The Enquirer
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2 min read
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ATLANTA –Spencer Steer, one of theCincinnati Reds' biggest injury losses of the season, hoped to avoid surgery on his damaged right wrist and even had plans to get some at-bats in the Arizona Fall League in a few weeks.
But an aggressive afternoon of batting practice over the weekend appears to have aggravated the tendon-sheath injury, prompting the decision to scrap the more patient rehab approach and schedule surgery for Wednesday, Sept. 30."It kind of grabbed at him a little bit," manager Terry Francona said. "Rather than put it off, I think he was ready."
Francona said Steer is expected to have enough time to rehab the surgery and get back to baseball activities in time to be at full readiness for the start of spring training.
Steer, whose defensive versatility has played a key role for the Reds in recent years, hurt the wrist on a swing July 26 inSt. Louis, causing enough pain he was unable to finish the at-bat. He hasn't played since.
He finished the season with a .238 average, 16 home runs and a .739 OPS in 98 games, ending a streak of three consecutive seasons with more than 20 home runs.
Spencer Steer #7 of the Cincinnati Reds hits a single in the fourth inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 19, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
De La Cruz hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park.
(Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
De La Cruz hits a 2-run home run in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Great American Ball Park in July.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
Elly De La Cruz hits a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in June.
(John Fisher, Getty Images)
De La Cruz launches a solo home run against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in May.
(Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)
De La Cruz (44) follows through on a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in April.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in March.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz hits a 2-run home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park in July 2025.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz hits a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park in April 2024.
(Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz hits a home run in the fifth inning of against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in April 2024.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz hits a home run during the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in 2023.
(Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz hits a 2-run home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park in June 2023.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz rounds the bases after hitting a 2-run home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park in June 2023.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2023.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2023. It was the first of his major-league career.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park in September.
(Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
Elly De La Cruz heads to second on a stolen base against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Great American Ball Park in September.
(Aaron Doster/IMAGN IMAGES)
De La Cruz steals third base against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park in 2023.
(Thomas Shea, Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz steals third base in the eighth inning of a game with the Washington Nationals in March 2024.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park in 2024.
(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz steals third base as the Phillies' Edmundo Sosa attempts to stop him in 2024.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz steals second base in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in June 2025.
(David Richard-Imagn Images)
De La Cruz steals second base in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in June 2023.
(Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park in July 2024.
(Dale Zanine, Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz (44) dives across home plate on a steal attempt in 2024.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz loses his helmet as he dives in safely, stealing third, in 2025.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz steals third base in 2023.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz runs to third base during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2023.
(Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports)
De La Cruz slides into second for a double in the sixth inning between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park in September 2025.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
De La Cruz slides into third base for an RBI triple in the sixth inning between the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets at Great American Ball Park in September 2025.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
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Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a home run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park.
(Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
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Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a 2-run home run in the fourth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Great American Ball Park in July.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
4/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
Elly De La Cruz hits a two-run home run in the fifth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in June.
(John Fisher, Getty Images)
5/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz launches a solo home run against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in May.
(Ken Blaze/Imagn Images)
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Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz (44) follows through on a two-run home run in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in April.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
7/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a home run in the fifth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in March.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
8/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a 2-run home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park in July 2025.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
9/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the second inning at T-Mobile Park in April 2024.
(Stephen Brashear-USA TODAY Sports)
10/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a home run in the fifth inning of against the Milwaukee Brewers at Great American Ball Park in April 2024.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
11/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a home run during the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in 2023.
(Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports)
12/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a 2-run home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park in June 2023.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
13/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz rounds the bases after hitting a 2-run home run in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Great American Ball Park in June 2023.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
14/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a two-run home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2023.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
15/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz hits a two-run home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in June 2023. It was the first of his major-league career.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
16/30
Elly De La Cruz on verge of newest 30-30 season in Reds history
De La Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park in September.
(Dale Zanine-Imagn Images)
17/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
Elly De La Cruz heads to second on a stolen base against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Great American Ball Park in September.
(Aaron Doster/IMAGN IMAGES)
18/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals third base against the Houston Astros in the seventh inning at Minute Maid Park in 2023.
(Thomas Shea, Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)
19/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals third base in the eighth inning of a game with the Washington Nationals in March 2024.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
20/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park in 2024.
(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
21/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals third base as the Phillies' Edmundo Sosa attempts to stop him in 2024.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
22/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals second base in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field in June 2025.
(David Richard-Imagn Images)
23/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals second base in the second inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in June 2023.
(Kareem Elgazzar-USA TODAY Sports)
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Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals second base against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning at Truist Park in July 2024.
(Dale Zanine, Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
25/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz (44) dives across home plate on a steal attempt in 2024.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
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Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz loses his helmet as he dives in safely, stealing third, in 2025.
(Sam Greene/The Enquirer)
27/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz steals third base in 2023.
(Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer)
28/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz runs to third base during the first inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in 2023.
(Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports)
29/30
Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz slides into second for a double in the sixth inning between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park in September 2025.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
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Photos show Elly De La Cruz's superhuman speed and strength
De La Cruz slides into third base for an RBI triple in the sixth inning between the Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets at Great American Ball Park in September 2025.
(Albert Cesare/The Enquirer)
A force in the Reds' playoff bullpen last season – with a 2.44 ERA in 80 appearances – Santillan struggled most of this season with career highs in walk rate and home runs allowed.
He finished the season with a 6.42 ERA in 44 games and blown saves in half his 10 chances.
