It’s highly unlikely that Matt McLain will play again in 2024. The Reds infielder has been on the injured all season after undergoing shoulder surgery in March. He was initially targeting a return sometime in August, but a rib cage stress reaction he suffered about six weeks ago turned out to be a major setback in his rehab.
Still, until recently, the Reds had been holding out hope he could return before the end of the year. Just last week, manager David Bell told members of the media (including Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that McLain was “pain-free” and on his way back to “baseball activities.” Today, however, Bell admitted that it isn’t realistic to expect McLain to return this season, telling reporters (including Mark Sheldon of MLB.com): “It’s probably not going to happen.”
McLain, 25, finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year voting last season after he hit .290/.357/.507 with 23 doubles, 16 home runs, and 14 stolen bases in 89 contests. He also put up 2 OAA and 4 DRS while splitting his time between shortstop and second base. Looking like a legitimate five-tool talent, McLain finished with 3.1 FanGraphs WAR in just over half a season’s worth of games. Hopefully, Cincinnati will finally be able to see what he can do over a full season in 2025.
The Reds entered the 2024 campaign with a glut of talented young hitters, but many of those players have struggled this season for one reason or another. Spencer Steer and Will Benson have each taken a big step back at the plate after their breakout performances in 2023. Noelvi Marte has been a disaster since his return from an 80-game PED suspension earlier this year. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was slumping badly before he underwent surgery on his wrist in May. He has not played since. McLain was the most exciting of all those names in 2023, and his lost 2024 season has been, perhaps, the most disappointing.
Indeed, the word “disappointing” pretty much sums up the Reds in 2024. A year after finishing third in the NL Central and two games back of the final Wild Card spot, they currently sit fourth in their division and 10.5 games back of a postseason berth. They’re on pace to finish 78-84, four games worse than their record in 2023. Their pitching staff ranks 16th with a 4.06 ERA, while their offense ranks 26th with an 89 wRC+. They also rank 26th with a -23 fielding run value, per Baseball Savant.
McLain was hoping to get back on the field before the end of the season. Surely, the Reds would have loved to have his bat and glove back on the roster. However, at this point in the year, it’s not hard to understand why he and the team are putting their efforts toward a stronger and healthier 2025 instead.
Sad lost season, he would’ve helped the reds so much this season
If they ever have a healthy season, particularly with the pitching, they will contend.
I thought it was ridiculous the Reds signed Candelario before the season but they actually ended up needing him. So my bad. However barring another catastrophe They still don’t need him next year right?
Candelario still makes sense as a switch-hitting comer IF/DH.
They’ll have McLain, De La Cruz and India and could decide to keep Ty France. Steer in LF if they don’t need him on the infield. Espinal as the utility player. Marte and Encarnacion-Strand optioned to AAA. With the exception of the switch-hitting De La Cruz, they all hit right-handed.
Agreed except Espinal and France would have to be signed as free agents. Both increased their stock since their arrival so we will see how that plays out.
The Reds control both players if they’re willing to tender arbitration offers. Espinal has two years of arbitration remaining. France will be in his final arbitration year.
If McLain makes it back fully, India is your DH. I say if because we know how a bad shoulder injury derailed Votto. It might take him a while, especially with a missed year, to get back to where he was. Espinal will be important in that regard. If nit for Candelario, he would probably be there every day at third.
We all know Marte and Benson need more seasoning, we have known it for months, but they keep running them out there. Steer will most likely be in LF everyday. The hole in right field is huge. Face it, Fraley is not an every day player and gets hurt too often. I like the guy but as an organization, you have to face facts.
Hopefully Elly works on the strikeouts. As a hole, these guys whiff too much.
The hole is the hole in their swings!
Good analysis. They need to go out and get a good corner OF hitter in the off season. Either by free agency or via trade(they have the pieces to trade). 3B could be a problem going forward. IF Arroyo can hit, he could move Elly to 3B or the OF. If the OF, they could acquire a third baseman. Of course, that all depends on if Marte steps up.
I’m sure a combination of injuries/ underperformance/ DH spot will keep everyone getting at-bats unless there’s a trade.
Unfortunately we knew this long before they announced it. The Reds always do this with injuries. We also know he isn’t the only one gone for the year they haven’t said yet.
Look at all the National League rookies from last year… they all had bad years this year.
Carol barely league average
Senga 1 game
Outman in AAA
Jones terrible
McClain out
Steer average
Bailey about the same
deLa Cruz did well.
Eury out all year
It’s like they were on the cover of Madden.
At the end it’s a financial based decision. In order to put a competitive roster, it’s make-or-buy. If you don’t have it, must buy it. Look at the Royals as a good example.
Like it or not, the 2025 Reds will be a pitching first franchise. Button up the defense, improve the back-up catching, and make less outs on the basepaths. These improvements are affordable. without a healthy McLain, this team has little chance of success. 2024 was always going to be a transition year- but the Reds actually transistioned backwards a couple steps.
“McLain was the most exciting of all those names in 2023, and his lost 2024 season has been, perhaps, the most disappointing.”
What’s actually the most disappointing is that MLBTR brought on another writer who doesn’t understand how to use commas. There shouldn’t be any around “perhaps.”