The Reds lost a key piece of their starting lineup just before the season began when infielder Matt McLain underwent labrum surgery back in March. As relayed by Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer, McLain recently discussed his timeline for return with reporters, although he’s still a ways away from his name appearing in the Cincinnati lineup.
Per Goldsmith, McLain indicated that he’s still six weeks away from being cleared to swing a bat, indicating he can begin ramping up in earnest in early July. Given the length of his absence, McLain will surely require a rehab assignment in the minor leagues once he’s ready to return to game action, and given that the 24-year-old said that he’s targeting a potential return to the big league Reds sometime in August, just over four months after undergoing surgery. While that timeline still puts him around three months away from big league games, McLain indicated that his rehab is going well, telling reporters (including Goldsmith) that “Right now, [he’s] in a great spot.”
McLain’s absence from the lineup has been a noticeable one for the Reds this season. The youngster was a key part of the club’s offense during his rookie campaign last season as he slashed an impressive .290/.357/.507 in 403 trips to the plate before an oblique strain ended his 2023 season at the end of August. That sort of offensive presence would be a miracle for the Cincinnati lineup this year, which has posted a lackluster 82 wRC+ that’s good for bottom-five in the majors this year despite strong performances from fellow youngsters Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer. Jonathan India has primarily handled the keystone in McLain’s place, but he’s struggled to a wRC+ of 83 despite solid strikeout and walk rates this season.
More from around the NL Central…
- The Cardinals welcomed back longtime infielder Matt Carpenter from the injured list this afternoon after he hit the shelf in early April due to an oblique strain. Carpenter, 38, was a 13th-round pick by the Cardinals back in 2009 and spent the first 12 seasons of his big league career with the club before departing following the 2021 season. He’s played for the Yankees and Padres in the majors since then but returned to the club on a one-year deal over the offseason. Carpenter will take the place of infielder Jose Fermin in the St. Louis bench mix, providing a second veteran left-handed bat alongside Brandon Crawford to complement the club’s heavily right-handed infield group that features Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt, and Masyn Winn.
- The Cubs’ relief corps took a hit this afternoon as the club placed right-hander Yency Almonte on the 15-day injured list with a shoulder strain. Almonte has been a rare bright spot in a struggling Cubs bullpen this season, pitching to a solid 3.45 ERA with a 3.34 FIP in 15 2/3 innings of work since coming over from the Dodgers alongside first baseman Michael Busch in a trade this past offseason. Manager Craig Counsell told reporters (including Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune) that there’s no timeline for Almonte’s return to action, leaving the Cubs to piece together solutions in the bullpen while he joins Julian Merryweather, Daniel Palencia, and Drew Smyly in departing the bullpen for the injured list in recent weeks, though right-hander Ben Brown’s recent move from the rotation to the bullpen in deference to Justin Steele could help to fortify the club’s relief corps.
Time to bring back Votto?
He’s currently busy being employed by another team.
Also still injured, I think.
They could probably get him in a trade for their 2 best prospects or for just De La Cruz.
I wouldn’t return if I was Votto
Yeah, they treated him like dirt. 225 million over 10 years, got paid even when he was hurt or batting below 200. Man, what a bunch of a-holes the Reds are. Votto is done. He’s been on the disabled list for months. Why exactly would they want him back?
It was good to see McLain in the dugout on the road trip. Rehab is a lonely thing.
Hope McLain has a successful future.
Why wouldn’t he?
I’m sure he will. Surgery is so commonplace for a baseball fan that it is often hard to put major surgeries into perspective. There have been players who have had this surgery and had an awful time recovering for years. Granted they are more frequently pitchers (Mike Minor comes to mind, tho he did eventually have some nice seasons again). But I think we look at anything that isn’t Tommy John (and even that) as not so bad when this was a major surgery. Nobody knows how bad the ligament was damaged as far as I know. My point is the severity of these things should be kept in mind even tho they appear commonplace as fans. I’ve had the surgery. I still can hardly throw a ball 15 years later, tho I didn’t have the resources professionals have.
If I’m not mistaken I believe it was his none throwing shoulder. Shouldn’t affect his throwing motion I would think.
You are correct sir, it was his non throwing shoulder. I’d think that swinging a bat would be hard on the shoulder, I wasn’t in a hurry to swing a golf club after a pectoral ligament/rotator cuff/labrum surgery.
Of course, that’s more a testament to the sorry state of my golf game.
He will likely be okay. It’s probably worst when you tear it throwing like I did and like many pitchers usually do. It would be the shoulder that is involved in his back swing so it does do a lot but swings differ. I have seen a couple of hitters who have follow throughs that put a lot of pressure on their shoulder have this injury from swinging presumably. Pretty much just because their swing is largely bottom hand. Lots of right handers who hit left handed because their bottom hand is dominant. They whip at the ball with their bottom hand. I’m no expert.Too much info probably.
Such a fine line between successful and failure in the major leagues. You never know if a player coming off shoulder surgery will be the same player when he comes back from it.
Non-throwing shoulder is still used in hitting and fielding. So it is more than just the throwing motion.
The man I was asking the question of (specifically) said something about the shoulder affecting his throwing motion. When I injured my shoulder 45 years ago I could hit well enough and even throw sidearm, but couldn’t raise my arm any farther up than even with my shoulder. So, yes it will affect his overall play, but not his ball throwing capabilities.
Carpenter will fit right in with the rest of the .190 – .210 hitters on this team.
He is completely useless.
Sure appears Father Time has caused the clock to strike midnight on Cards this year. Especially Goldie.
Crawford suggests that you move that .190 down to .087 so he can be included.
Just like Crawford, Marmol and MO. Marmol has to go , he can’t keep his mouth shut and airs everything to the media , he’s a “F” ing idiot.
No sense rushing McLain back. The season is lost.
Now that Friedl got hit in the hand and undoubtedly will miss time, you are even more right.
But they didn’t plan for anything going wrong, just like they’ll be down a position player for a week before they make a roster move.