Reds' Opening Day roster features a couple of surprises

CINCINNATI -- As the Reds set their 26-man roster Wednesday on the eve of Opening Day, there were a couple of surprises.

First, manager Terry Francona announced that left fielder and expected clean-up hitter Austin Hays would open the season on the 10-day injured list with a left calf strain. Then, Francona revealed that the club reversed plans to have Spencer Steer open on the IL, and he will instead be on the active roster.

“Everything that you heard me say about Steer, just erase it, OK?" Francona said at Great American Ball Park.

Also, outfielder Stuart Fairchild was the final cut. Since Fairchild is out of Minor League options, he will be designated for assignment on Thursday. That means both Blake Dunn and Jacob Hurtubise made the team as reserve outfielders.

“Some of it was Blake Dunn kind of forced his way onto the team, and I mean that in a good way," Francona said. "That’s what you want. He did everything you want."

Steer last played in a Cactus League game on Feb. 27 and received a cortisone injection for his problematic right shoulder on March 1. He recently resumed hitting in Minor League games and played Tuesday with the club's prospect team during an exhibition in Dayton, but Francona told him last weekend the plan was for Steer to go on the IL to start the season.

Because he's not ready to throw, Steer will be used only as a designated hitter or a pinch-hitter early on.

“We brought him back here so he could get some hitting, work on his throwing," Francona said. "One, we weren’t really sure where he was going to get some hitting. He could still work on his throwing. He can DH some. He doesn’t have to do it every day, but having him even two out of three is better than not having him. The biggest thing is, he wanted to do it. He was pretty adamant that he was ready to do it.”

Hays, who signed a one-year, $5 million contract on Jan. 29, was counting on a bounceback season after being injured multiple times with the Orioles and Phillies last season. That included Hays missing three weeks from April 21-May 13 with a left calf strain.

"He doesn’t know when he did it," Francona said. "We got off the flight and the next morning, [he] woke up and he was a little sore. I think he just thought it would go away, and the next morning, it didn’t. So, we got him scanned yesterday and it’s a very low-grade [injury]. But because of his history -- he tried to play through this last year, it got him into some trouble -- so we just need to nip this in the bud.”

The Reds host the Giants in Thursday's 4:10 p.m. ET opener at Great American Ball Park. Here is how the roster will look.

Catcher (2): Jose Trevino, Austin Wynns
A 2022 All-Star known for his defense and working with pitchers, Trevino moved up to primary catcher with Tyler Stephenson beginning the season on the IL with a left oblique strain.

First baseman (2): Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Jeimer Candelario
Both players will be seeking better years after rough and injury-filled 2024 seasons.

Second baseman (1): Matt McLain
After missing all of 2024 with a left shoulder injury, McLain has a chance to pick up from a very strong '23 rookie season.

Shortstop (1): Elly De La Cruz
It was a strong camp offensively, defensively and on the bases for De La Cruz.

Third baseman (1): Gavin Lux
Lux has only one career appearance at third base, but he was there most of the time this spring. He could also see time in left field. Candelario will also appear in games here.

Outfielders (4): TJ Friedl, Jake Fraley, Blake Dunn, Jacob Hurtubise
Lux could also see time in the outfield, but Hays being out could hurt. With Hays' IL stint backdating a few days, Francona hopes Hays will miss only six games.

Designated hitter (1): Spencer Steer
Steer will be making up for lost spring at-bats in the regular season, but he feels no pain swinging.

Bench/Utility (1): Santiago Espinal
Espinal is a role player who can play all infield positions except first base, as well as left field.

Starting pitchers (5): Hunter Greene, Brady Singer, Nick Martinez, Nick Lodolo, Carson Spiers
With Andrew Abbott (left shoulder) and Rhett Lowder (right elbow) beginning 2025 on the IL, and Graham Ashcraft getting converted to a relief role, Spiers earned the fifth starter's spot outright with a fantastic spring.

Relief pitchers (8): RHPs Emilio Pagán, Scott Barlow, Tony Santillan, Ian Gibaut and Graham Ashcraft; LHPs Sam Moll, Brent Suter and Taylor Rogers
Alexis Díaz, who struggled during camp, is opening on the IL (left hamstring inflammation) -- and the Reds are not designating a set closer at this point. Barlow, Pagán, and Rogers all have closing experience, while Santillan and Ashcraft have the makeup to do the job. Gibaut had a strong camp and is a workhorse, which would also make him a viable candidate.