Reds Veteran Taking Reps at New Position

Cincinnati Reds veteran Spencer Steer was taking groundballs ahead of Tuesday's game against the Pirates, according to Charlie Goldsmith.

After not having played third base since 2023, Steer played the 11th inning at third base in Saturday's win over the Boston Red Sox.

Reds manager Terry Francona showed his confidence in Spencer Steer by going to Nathaniel Lowe off the bench, fully aware it would force Steer to slide over to third base for the 11th inning.

"Freddie and I kind of walked through every scenario," Francona said. "We are trying to be as good as we can defensively, and if we didn't get to Sal, we weren't going to hit for him. We were going to just take Steer out of the game....We had to check with Steer first. Not surprisingly, he said 'I'm fine.' Freddie looked at me and said 'he's a baseball player.' I made sure I grabbed Spencer off the field because that to me, even before the game was over, I was like we're alright."

Not a lot of players would be willing to play a position live in a game for the first time in three years, but that is the kind of teammate Steer is. He takes pride in being able to play anywhere on the field.

“I see myself as a guy who’s athletic enough to move around the diamond, and I think that’s where I bring my value: the ability to play multiple positions,” Steer told Gordon Wittenmyer of The Enquirer.

Since being called up to the majors in 2022, Steer has played first base, second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and right field.

“I like being the guy they trust to kind of bounce around so they can play matchups.”

While Steer likely won't see a ton of time at third base, he's making sure he is prepared so the Reds can be flexible in end-of-game scenarios.

Ke'Bryan Looking to Get Going Offensively

Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'bryan Hayes (3) plays a ground ball off the bat of Boston Red Sox catcher Isiah Kiner-Falefa (2) in the fourth inning of the MLB Opening Day game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Boston Red Sox at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26, 2026. The game was tied at 0 after four innings. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

While Hayes has yet to record a hit, going 0-9 with a walk in four games, his underlying data actually shows some good signs.

His average exit velocity sits at 91.1 mph, which ranks in the 67th percentile. His expected batting average is .263, placing him in the 64th percentile. Even more encouraging is his approach. He ranks in the 93rd percentile or higher in chase rate, whiff rate, and strikeout rate, meaning he is making contact and not striking out.

It’s still a limited sample size with Hayes, but if he can just be an average hitter, he would be a huge addition for the Reds given that he is the best defensive third basemen in the game.