The Reds announced today that infielder Matt McLain has been placed on the 10-day injured list due to a right oblique strain. His roster spot goes to outfielder Stuart Fairchild, who has been activated from the concussion list.
McLain, 24, has been one of several Cincinnati rookies to hit the ground running in the big leagues this year, helping the club vault themselves from rebuilding and into contending. Since getting promoted to the big leagues in May, he has struck out in 28.5% of his 403 plate appearances but has launched 16 home runs and stolen 14 bases. His .290/.357/.507 batting line translates to a 128 wRC+, indicating he’s been 28% better than the league average hitter. He’s also been graded as a strong defender at both middle infield positions, leading to a tally of 3.3 wins above replacement from FanGraphs in just 89 games this year.
Losing that kind of production is obviously an unfortunate development for the Reds, especially as they have been scuffling a bit lately. The club has gone 9-15 in August and is now a game and a half out of a playoff spot. They will now have to proceed without McLain for at least the next 10 days, which is unfortunate timing in a couple of ways. For one thing, the Reds are coming up to an important part of the schedule, with their next seven games coming against the Giants and Cubs, a couple of the clubs they are battling in the Wild Card race.
There’s also the fact that there’s just over a month left in the schedule, which gives McLain a narrow window of time to return. If he’s able to come back after a minimal stint, he could still rejoin the club for a few more weeks, but oblique injuries are notoriously irksome and could make that difficult for him. The club hasn’t yet provided any specific estimates on his absence, but more information on that front will likely be forthcoming.
McLain has primarily been serving as the second baseman of late, with Elly De La Cruz at shortstop. Spencer Steer, who has been playing left field, is at the keystone tonight in McLain’s absence but the depth chart is a little light at the position apart from that, especially with Jonathan India and Kevin Newman both on the injured list. Both De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte are shortstops and could theoretically handle the position, but Marte has never played there professionally and De La Cruz never in the majors. Jose Barrero is on the 40-man and has a bit of second base experience, but not much, just 10 2/3 innings in the majors and then 248 innings at Single-A back in 2018.
It’s also possible this injury could have an impact on National League Rookie of the Year voting, as McLain had emerged as one of the contenders for that award alongside some of his teammates and other players like Corbin Carroll, James Outman and Kodai Senga. Now that the new collective bargaining agreement allows club to potentially receive draft pick compensation based on awards voting under certain conditions, those races have implications beyond just the importance to the players themselves.
Just what the Reds need! Arguably their best hitter out during a wild card race.
Stick a fork in them, they’re done.
This guy is a good hitter, this gotta hurt
They were done when the front office didn’t do what was needed. Took all the steam out of those hard fighting young kids.
Good thing Bell got renewed or the kid GM would have made him the fall guy instead of having to look in the mirror.
Get over it they weren’t overpaying for rental players. The point is to win for years not just one. You don’t do that by sacrificing 6 years of elite prospects for 2 months of players.
First of all, small markets have to deal these guys in year five to get any value. Second of all, who said a two month rental costs an “elite” prospect? Lorensen was had for a song. Third, who said they would just get a guy for two months? Fourth, prospect is another word for ain’t done a thing yet.
Make all the excuses you want, but everyone knows he blew it, he knows he blew it, you know deep down he blew it, and most importantly, the guys in the clubhouse you want to be there long term knows the front office don’t have their back. Not a good PROSPECT for Reds fans.
Lorenson was had for the Phillies #3 prospect and is a rental. If that was the price for rentals it’s common sense players with any control would have cost more than they would be worth. But hey keep on with your over dramatic posts.
So what? Maybe the Phillies re-sign him. Who knows?
Watch where each team ends up compared to where they were. There’s no guarantee this team will be this close again during this wave. Other teams don’t sit on their hands and won’t in the offseason either.
Overvaluing could bes and might bes over someone who actually has performed in the big leagues gets you on the outside looking in with a worn out bullpen, only a couple starters you can count on, and morale in the toilet.
There’s a reason this team has not sniffed the postseason in a decade.
Yea, we see your plan worked well. By the way, Philly’s number 3 prospect would not be in the Reds top 10 per every report I seen on him. But hey keep drinking that koolaid and remember, theres always next year next year.
It’s “Lorenzen.”
You seem to know very little about the Reds and baseball in general.
Those injuries are always unpredictable. Best wishes for a quick recovery. They need him, especially with EDLC flailing at everything he sees lately.
For all the posters out there who says we have too many infielders……any thoughts?
You still can’t play a half dozen shortstops at the same time.
McLain was one of those SS and was doing a fine job playing 2B so yes you can.
McLain is a different cat than most.
The point is we heard the excuse for trading for all these shortstops was they were “prospect capital” to trade for needs. We saw that was baloney and an excuse for improper team building. This goes back to last offseason. The results of that failure should be clear to all by now. If not, no one can open your eyes.
If you can play SS, you can play almost anywhere else on the diamond, save for P and C.
That worked out so well for Senzel, didn’t it? Not every player takes well to a different position.
It’s real life, not rotisserie league or a video game.
IMO Senzel maybe is a bust as a #2 overall pick. Position change had precious little to do with it. For every Senzel there’s a Trea Turner who kept on raking after a position change. Point is the Reds are a much better team after this overhaul and if a deal wasn’t available at the deadline I’m glad the FO didn’t make a bad deal just to be making one. The FO seems to be building a sustainable team for the next few years. Let’s see how they handle the offseason then we can complain
This guy could’ve been ROY
McLain is a big loss for Reds lineup. The lineup has been struggling most of the second half, McLain has been one of the few bright spots. Reds need to again look to the minors and call up Blake Dunn and see if he can provide a start. Dunn is hitting over .350 at AA. Reds need to see if he could provide the offense a boost.
Haven’t looked at the schedule for NL Central remaining games, but still believe the Brewers can be caught.
Besides, the Brewers are boring. Would much rather see feel-good teams like the Reds or Cubs make the playoffs. Really, no one gave either one of them a shot back in March.
Of the aforementioned three teams, I believe the Reds have the best chance to remain very good for the next six to eight years.
For 2B, at least until India returns, I’d play Senzel every day and pray his first round pedigree manifests itself at an important time.
Reds are not calling up a guy from AA.
The Reds should probably select Alejo Lopez from AAA if all 3 of McLain, India and Newman are all going to be out for a while. They’d need to open a 40-man spot for Lopez but they could easily move India to the 60-day IL if he’s not going to be back soon.
I think the best option right now is Jose Barrero. He’s been playing well in AAA. One more final last chance to provide some major league worth? Bringing Steer into 2B means you’ve got Hopkins or Siani or Fairchild as the regular left field rotation. No thanks.
Reds should have picked up another pitcher or 2 @ deadline, it would have been a positive gesture that the club was heartily behind them, depending on Greene,lodolo and others was a pipe dream, Greene wasn’t and ace before injury,anytime u can win a division you go for it especially in a small baseball town like Cincy,n next year may never come so close