ST. LOUIS – Spencer Steer’s value as the most versatile player on the Cincinnati Reds’ roster is well documented, including appearances at five positions this year – and starts at 4.
But his All-Star value?
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Three years after a top-6 finish in Rookie of the Year voting, Steer responded to a rough three-week start to the season with the look of a guy making an All-Star push as fan voting gets underway.
His consistent production since mid-April earned him time in the No. 3 hole in the lineup in recent days.
Not that the idea of an All-Star bid has crossed his mind, he said.
“I’ve always thought if you show up every day and play the game to win, then all the individual accomplishments and accolades take care of themselves,” Steer said.
Since a .190 start 20 games into the season, Steer’s hitting .305 with six homers, nine doubles, 22 walks and an .881 OPS (in 43 games through Saturday).
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If Steer’s not looking for an All-Star bid, he says several teammates should.
“There’s a lot of guys in here that deserve it,” Steer said, surveying the clubhouse. “I don’t know if I can put a number on it, but there’s a lot of guys who have played really well this year and who have stepped up.”
If the Reds don’t pull out of their team malaise quickly, they might have trouble landing more than the mandatory lone All-Star, regardless of how many are performing well.
Meanwhile, check out where Steer lands on the Enquirer’s latest list of candidates.
This week’s Reds All-Star Candidate Power Rankings (previous ranking in parentheses):
The power-pitching right-hander in his first full season in the majors keeps his spot atop the rankings as he heads into his 13th start of the season Tuesday in San Diego.
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Despite spinning his eighth quality start of the season – and allowing two or fewer runs for the 11th time in 12 starts – his ERA actually went up. To a *whopping* 2.05. Which is the fourth-best mark in the majors.
Burns (7-1) also ranks second in MLB in pitching bWAR, seventh in WHIP and seventh in K/9.
The reigning National League player of the month didn’t make his Reds debut until April 26 after spending the first month of the season in the minors. He led the NL in slugging (.631) and OPS (1.018) in May, and also for the month was tied for first in RBIs (25), tied for third in home runs (eight) and was in the top 10 in walks (15).
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His POM award was the Reds’ first since Joey Votto won it in July 2021. Then he homered on the first day of June. And moved up three spots in our rankings.
When he failed to reach base in Sunday’s series finale in St. Louis, it marked the first time he hadn’t reached by hit or walk since May 8, ending the longest active streak in the majors. The 24 consecutive games was the longest streak by a Red since Votto’s 25 in 2021.
Steer hit .307 with three home runs and 13 walks, a .392 on-base percentage and an All-Star-worthy .869 OPS during the streak.
Nothing De La Cruz did on the field caused the drop two spots in this week’s rankings. It’s the fact that he’s not on the field, having opened the month with hamstring injury that resulted in his first career trip to the injured list.
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The two-time All-Star was a near-lock to win a third bid at his two-month performance pace. Now it’s mostly a matter of having enough time to get back in the race – or of having enough national popularity to win the fan vote regardless of playing status.
A monster April is keeping Stewart firmly in the running for an All-Star selection in his rookie season. But he’s come back to earth since then, hitting .236 with three homers, a .694 OPS and 33 strikeouts in the 32 games that followed.
He may need to rally to earn a spot in the Classic at the traditionally ultra competitive position, especially if the team doesn’t rally enough to open the door for multiple candidates.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Spencer Steer makes All-Star push, moves up in Reds Power Rankings
