MLB Player News

Steer (rib) will start in right field and bat cleanup in Wednesday's game against the Mariners.

After being lifted late in Monday's 8-0 loss due to a rib contusion, Steer was held out of the starting nine for Tuesday's 4-2 win. He went unused off the bench but was reportedly available after checking out fine when he took pregame swings, per MLB.com. Following the full day of rest, Steer is ready to step back into the starting nine for the finale, covering right field while Noelvi Marte heads back to the bench.

Reds manager Terry Francona said that Steer (ribs) is expected to be OK and was slated to hit in the batting cage pregame Tuesday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

Steer was unable to play Tuesday in Seattle after being hit by a pitch in the ribs during Monday's contest. He appears to have avoided a serious injury, however, and should be considered day-to-day. While Steer could play Wednesday, a looming team off day Thursday might convince the club to hold the 28-year-old out until Friday.

Goldschmidt is absent from the lineup for the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader versus the Pirates.

Ben Rice will handle first base, and Spencer Jones will grab a start at designated hitter. Goldschmidt will likely be back in the lineup for the second game of the twin bill.

Vargas started at second base and went 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Tuesday's 6-5 extra-inning victory over the Athletics.

Vargas supplied the game-winning hit in the bottom of the 10th inning, when his bases-loaded singled completed the walk-off win. In addition to sharing first base with Tim Tawa and Tyler Locklear, Vargas has also stepped in at second base -- Tuesday's start at the keystone was his third in the last six contests. That deployment reduces the stress on Ketel Marte -- no stranger to overuse injuries -- who operated as the designated hitter in those three games. Vargas, who has cooled off signficantly from his hot April, is batting .268 (11-for-41) with two doubles, one triple, four RBI, one steal and three runs scored over 13 games in July.

Young went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-0 win over the Brewers.

Young opened the scoring by taking Brandon Sproat deep for a solo shot in his first plate appearance. The 31-year-old had gone 18 games since his last homer and now has seven home runs on the season. Since returning from the injured list May 26, he has batted .235 with a .749 OPS, seven home runs, five doubles, 17 RBI and 16 runs scored across 44 games.

Naylor went 3-for-4 with a stolen base in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Reds.

Naylor has five steals over his last 10 games and has gone 12-for-36 (.333) at the plate in that span. The first baseman continues to provide unexpected contributions in steals -- he's up to 20 this season after swiping 30 bags between Seattle and Arizona in the 2025 regular season. Naylor is batting .258 with a .676 OPS, eight home runs, 37 RBI, 37 runs scored and 12 doubles over 95 contests this year.

Burleson went 3-for-4 in Tuesday's 5-1 loss to the Angels.

Burleson has gone 9-for-21 (.429) over five games since the All-Star break. He doesn't have an extra-base hit and has added just two RBI in that span. The first baseman is batting .282 with an .809 OPS on the year, and he's supplied 15 home runs, 69 RBI, 53 runs scored, 23 doubles, one triple and three stolen bases over 99 contests as a consistent part of the Cardinals' lineup.

Steer is not in Tuesday's lineup versus Seattle following Monday's game in which he was hit in the ribs by a pitch.

Sal Stewart is starting at first base for Steer on Tuesday while Eugenio Suarez takes over at third and Nathaniel Lowe serves as the designated hitter. Steer underwent X-rays following Monday's game. The Reds finish off the series in Seattle on Wednesday before getting the day off Thursday as they head to St. Louis.

Bauers is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Mets.

The left-handed-hitting Bauers often plays against lefty hurlers, but he will begin Tuesday's game on the bench as the Mets send rookie southpaw Zac Thornton to the bump. Luis Lara will patrol right field for the Brewers, and Andrew Vaughn will play first base.

Walker (hip) will start at first base and bat sixth in Tuesday's game versus the Marlins.

Walker missed the last two starts with a right hip injury, but he was used in a pinch-hitting capacity Monday and is back in the lineup Tuesday. The 35-year-old is slashing just .171/.292/.317 so far in July.