Spencer Steer’s ongoing right shoulder problem has been one of the key storylines of the Reds’ spring camp, and manager Terry Francona had some positive news about Steer’s status in conversation today with MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon and other reporters. Steer’s shoulder showed “marked improvement” during an examination yesterday, Francona said, and the team’s plan is for Steer to start a swinging progression at some point this week.
It is still too early one way or the other to know if Steer can be ready for Cincinnati’s Opening Day lineup, though it is a good sign that Steer’s shoulder seems to be responding well to the cortisone shot he received last week. Steer felt good enough to play as a DH in three Cactus League games prior his cortisone shot, as he related to reporters last weekend that he has no discomfort when swinging or even directly throwing, but he feels a twinge in his right shoulder when he is preparing to throw.
This issue has been bothering Steer since last season, and his shoulder tweak has continued even after the offseason. The Reds could continue to let Steer play solely as a DH, but Francona has already stated that the team wants this injury to be corrected once and for all, so Steer can continue his usual role in the field. This is of particular import to the Reds since the versatile Steer was slated to spend time at both corner infield positions and in left field, and limiting Steer just to designated hitter duty wouldn’t be ideal. Keeping Steer out of action entirely and on the injured list is also obviously not a good scenario, yet giving Steer more time to fully recover has long-term benefits.
In other Reds injury news, prospect Cam Collier suffered a torn UCL in his left thumb and will undergo surgery to correct the problem on Thursday, Francona told the media (including Pat Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer). Collier won’t be able to hit for the next 4-6 weeks, though he won’t be entirely kept out of all baseball-related activities. Francona noted that “hopefully while he’s down he can just [work on] his legs and turn something that could be perceived as a negative into a positive.”
Collier was selected 18th overall in the 2022 draft, and he is rated as one of baseball’s top 100 prospects by The Athletic’s Keith Law (who ranked Collier 83rd) and MLB Pipeline (90th). Collier hit .248/.355/.443 with 20 home runs in 507 plate appearances with high-A Dayton last season, and he already has parts of three pro seasons on his resume before his 20th birthday. While Collier showed development at the plate, however, Law raised questions about his weight and conditioning, and the possibility that Collier might size himself out of his natural third base position.
Speaking of reds & reds injuries
The tm gave an update re: abbott & lowder today as well
Lowder is almost certainly starting season on DL
Abbott too tho he might only stay on DL for the minimum, outside chance at OD availability
Can either pitcher be optioned to save service time? Or is that prohibited when the player is injured?
Lowder has options and was a September call up. Don’t know if they have options on Abbott but if they do they sure can option him.
No, a player may not be optioned while on the IL. Yes they do get service time
Right now the players are neither on the IL nor optioned. The question is whether they can be optioned to begin the season, rather than be placed on the IL. Or if instead they’re required to go on the IL when the season begins, since they weren’t on a minor league option when they were injured.
Steer, Abbott and Lowder all have options remaining, so that’s not an issue.
They’re required to go on the IL. Can’t knowingly option an injured player.
Got it. So if they’re still injured as of Opening Day, then the earliest they could be optioned should be the point when they’re healthy enough that they could begin a rehab assignment instead.
So screw the small market teams more got it.
There are some players that can be optioned if they’re injured. The Cubs did this to Owen Caissie this spring. It probably depends on service time.
If they follow their usual pattern, if those guys start out the season on the IL, they will be sent out on a 20 day rehab which may or may not last the whole 20 days.
@Casual – Generally, an injured player cannot be optioned to the minors. However, an injured player who did not accrue any MLB Service Time during the previous season, has not accrued at least three years of MLB Service Time, and was not selected in the previous Rule 5 Draft, can be optioned to the minors during a period of time beginning on the first day of Spring Training until the 15th day prior to the start of the next MLB regular season.
@Bucket Correct!
I could be wrong, but I’m pretty sure that’s prohibited would be injured list manipulation and the MLBPA would certainly notice
Yeah that’s what I suspect but I can’t find anything definite to confirm it.
I answered it above.
Turnbull and the Tigers went through this the year before last. they had optioned him and he filed a grievance saying he was injured so det rescinded the option and placed him on IL to finish the ’23 season
Tigers released turnbull after 2023, so he never pitched for them again
Detroit must have been pissed about the grievance
They were probably sick of him always being injured too and whining that he wasn’t in the rotation
At the putset of camp there was a good report on Collier addressing his weight issue.
rotowire.com/baseball/player/cam-collier-17933
What a bummer for Collier. Hand/wrist injuries have a history of lingering as far as effects on hitting. Even after he comes back “healthy” I wouldn’t be surprised to see this as a lost season at the plate for him
Agree dhud. He is also fat.
Generally, if you have 3 asses you are going to be lazy also. I don’t know if that is his case, but I speak from years of observation. Being overweight adversely impacts your performance and stamina. Some people are more prone to add weight and have to work extra hard to keep it under control.
Sounds to me like Steer’s problem might be weight training related. i. e. too much bulking up. You shoulders and other joints need a certain amount of freedom or looseness to work properly. If tendons, muscles etc. are too bulked up it can cause friction due to lack of room to move freely. That friction can be nerve related (something rubbing a nerve) or a lot of other things. There is a happy median with weight training. Too much can be worse than none at all.
In high school baseball around 1980, I was ripped a new one when the coaches found out I was in there lifting with the football players. I thought it made sense being a catcher. My, how times have changed.
I was also a 20 pt per game basketball player. The football coaches forced us to lift weights with threat of a paddling during both basketball and baseball seasons. It was a wonder I could even hit the backboard. I hurt my arm in the 9th grade and it won’t straighten out to this day. I have often wondered if all the weight lifting at a early age might have been the culprit.
I go back a good bit further in time. My experience was in the mid 1960’s. There was little intelligence in the weight lifting back then. All that mattered was football. We did have a good football team by my senior year but at the expense of both basketball and baseball. The players that wanted to play all 3 sports were really shafted. Now they make no bones about it. You prepare for football year round.
Injuries are almost always worse than the Reds projects them to be. Steer was dealing with the same issue the final six weeks last season and his numbers did a swan dive. Apparently the Reds training staff did not work with Steer during the off season, which is malpractice on their part. I suspect surgery is in his near future. The Reds projecting Collier out for 4-6 weeks means he will be out 8-12 weeks. Also, he needs to work on his weight because he is about to eat himself out of baseball.
I suspect Lowder and Abbott to miss significant time as well. Which is why the Reds have been rumored to be searching for another starter or two.
This is an amazing amount of speculation with absolutely zero evidence.
“Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it.”
Obviously you do not know the history Cat speaks of. Most of us do.
I agree sjc. Not enough “dumpster diving”- so let’s go with injury mismanagemen. Abbott could start Wednesday. Reds are being very cautious with Steer and Lodolo. No room to compliment the apparent health of McLain, CES, Lodolo, Hays, Gibaut, etc. only serious injury has been to Collier- through no fault of Cam or Reds. Just gotrta find doom and gloom somewhere.
If you read all MLB stories you’ll find out all teams are experiencing the same thing with various injuries. But if it fits your narrative to constantly find fault with your front office you run with it.
A good many injuries are due to being hit by a pitch. The pitchers in general throw harder today which leads to wildness. The innocent party is the the batter.