Spencer Steer injury may change how contenders view Blue Jays’ Ernie Clement at trade deadline

One injury may have changed the trade deadline market for right-handed hitters, and the Toronto Blue Jays could benefit from said injury. The Cincinnati Reds have placed super-utility man Spencer Steer on the Injured List with a right wrist sprain. Steer was hurt during Sunday's game (Jul. 26) between the Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals.

That potentially takes a very intriguing bat off the market since Buster Olney of ESPN reported that Steer will miss "significant time." Steer was viewed as a player that would be highly sought after by contenders since he brings power, defensive versatility and the ability to help at several positions. With the Reds five games back of the final Wild Card spot in the National League, they are likely going to be sellers at the deadline.

That made the 28-year-old Steer, an impending free agent, one of their more valuable trade chips. He has 16 home runs, 40 RBIs and a .238/.319/.421 slash line in 98 games with the Reds this season. He has hit 20-plus home runs in each of the last three years.

Where do the Blue Jays fit in? Well, they have a right-handed hitter, who can also play multiple positions, and that's Ernie Clement. He's not the exact same type of player as Steer, but he does offer positional flexibility for teams who need an upgrade on the infield. He also comes with more term on his contract, as he isn't a free agent until after the 2029 season.

Clement is having his most productive offensive season. He was named an All-Star starter at second base and has produced a 3.2 offensive fWAR with a 109 wRC+ and a .313 BABIP. His power isn't eye popping, with eight home runs through 103 games played, but he does have 25 doubles to go along with a .748 OPS.

The Blue Jays don't have to move Clement, but the timing might never be better

There is a clear case to be made for the Blue Jays to keep Clement. He is affordable and has become a fan favourite. But in a market that seems pretty thin on productive right-handed bats, teams may be willing to pay a higher premium to acquire him.

He hits lefties just as well as he hits righties with a .283/.332/.425 slash line against southpaws and .303/.322/.426 slash line against righties. He's also been one of the few Blue Jays that has been able to come through in the clutch. In high leverage situations he has an .810 OPS with a 118 wRC+.

Those are the kinds of numbers contending teams are looking for in the players they want to acquire. Among second basemen, Luis Arraez of the San Francisco Giants looks like he'll lead the conversation in terms of setting the market, but Clement could very easily be a logical fallback.

The Blue Jays aren't in a situation where they have to move Clement but they do have a lot of prospects who play similar positions and sooner or later they are going to have to decide whether they give them a shot, or keep Clement around instead. Right now, Clement's value could be the highest it ever gets, and there's nothing wrong with holding on to him - but the market may dictate an opportunity that is too good to pass up.

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