Spencer Steer cleared to increase activities but unlikely to return in 2026

Spencer Steer has been cleared to increase his activities as he works through a right wrist sprain, but per MLB.com's Mark Sheldon, a return to the Cincinnati Reds in 2026 is unlikely.

What happened

Mark Sheldon of MLB.com reported that Steer received clearance to ramp up his workload, a meaningful procedural step in any wrist recovery. The encouraging-sounding phrase "cleared to increase activities" is doing considerable heavy lifting here, though, because the same report makes clear that the Reds do not expect to see him back on the field this season. The club has not announced a specific timetable.

Why it matters

Steer's absence leaves a gap in a Cincinnati lineup that has leaned on its younger contributors to stay competitive through a difficult season. A right wrist sprain for a position player is the kind of injury that tends to resist firm timelines — the wrist is involved in nearly every swing — and the Reds appear to be managing expectations rather than manufacturing optimism.

The practical roster reality is that September rosters expand to 28 players under current league rules, giving clubs more flexibility to carry injured players or shuffle personnel without the same constraints that apply earlier in the year. But clearance to increase activities is not the same as clearance to play, and Sheldon's report draws that line plainly.

The numbers

The Reds enter this weekend sitting at 69-77 (.473), fifth in the NL Central and 21.5 games behind the division leader. They are also ranked eighth in the Wild Card picture, 9.0 games relative to the cut line, and have already been eliminated from the division race. The club is currently on a three-game losing streak.

Against that backdrop, the question of whether Steer returns this season is less about roster construction and more about his long-term health heading into the offseason. There is no pennant race to rush him back for.

Where the club stands

Cincinnati's 69-77 record places them fifth in the NL Central, and the Wild Card door is effectively closed at 9.0 games back of the cut line. The Reds are playing out the string, which is not a comfortable place to be, but it does clarify the calculus around Steer: there is no compelling competitive reason to accelerate his return, and every reason to let the wrist heal properly.

The schedule ahead offers no soft landing. On Saturday, September 12, the Reds send Brady Singer to the mound against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field, with Milwaukee's starter listed as TBD. On Sunday, September 13, Chase Burns gets the ball in the series finale, again opposite a TBD Brewers starter. The club then returns home Monday, September 14, where Nick Lodolo is slated to face the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park.

That Brewers series follows a game Cincinnati won just days ago — a contest that required surviving a long rain delay and was decided in part by three Reds home runs, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting — and the homestand that follows brings the Dodgers to Great American Ball Park. The rotation, at least, has some definition.

Is Steer expected to play again this season?

Per Mark Sheldon's report for MLB.com, no. The language is "unlikely to return in 2026," which is about as close to a firm answer as injury reporting gets without an official announcement. The Reds have not set a date, and the clearance to increase activities represents progress, not a return to the lineup.

What we don't know yet

The club has not announced what "increased activities" looks like in practice — whether that means light swings, batting practice, or something more structured. There is no reported timetable for a re-evaluation, no indication of which injured list Steer is currently on, and no detail about how the injury has progressed to this point. Sheldon's report establishes the current status; the specifics of the recovery path remain unaddressed publicly.

It is also worth noting that the Reds have been active on the roster front in recent days. A week removed from Graham Ashcraft's return from the injured list — Ashcraft had been sidelined with a right forearm UCL sprain — Cincinnati has been navigating its September roster with the kind of controlled motion that defines the final weeks of a long season. Sam Moll, designated for assignment around the time of Ashcraft's activation, subsequently cleared waivers and elected free agency, per Jon Heyman. None of that directly affects Steer's situation, but it illustrates that the Reds' 40-man and active roster have been in motion.

What to watch

The most immediate thing to monitor is whether the Reds provide any further update on Steer's activity progression — specifically whether he advances to on-field work and what that looks like. Given that a return this season is considered unlikely per Sheldon's report, the more consequential question may be what his status looks like heading into the offseason and whether the wrist requires any further intervention. That is a question for a later date.

In the meantime, the Reds' lineup will continue to rely on the players who have carried the offense through a difficult year. Sal Stewart, the club's rookie third baseman, leads all of baseball with 106 RBIs and 31 home runs while posting a 121 wRC+, and has emerged as the frontrunner for NL Rookie of the Year honors, per earlier Posterior Wire reporting. The offense has not lacked for a focal point. What it has lacked, with Steer sidelined, is depth — and that is a problem September roster rules can soften but not solve.

For now, the Steer update is what it is: a step forward in a recovery that is not expected to produce results this season, reported carefully by Sheldon, and worth tracking as the calendar turns toward the offseason.