It’s extremely unlikely that Matt McLain will play once more in 2024. The Reds infielder has been on the injured all season after present process shoulder surgical procedure in March. He was initially concentrating on a return someday in August, however a rib cage stress response he suffered about six weeks in the past turned out to be a serious setback in his rehab.
Nonetheless, till lately, the Reds had been holding out hope he may return earlier than the top of the 12 months. Simply final week, supervisor David Bell instructed members of the media (together with Gordon Wittenmyer of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that McLain was “pain-free” and on his manner again to “baseball actions.” Immediately, nevertheless, Bell admitted that it isn’t sensible to anticipate McLain to return this season, telling reporters (together with Mark Sheldon of MLB.com): “It’s in all probability not going to occur.”
McLain, 25, completed fifth in NL Rookie of the 12 months voting final season after he hit .290/.357/.507 with 23 doubles, 16 house runs, and 14 stolen bases in 89 contests. He additionally put up 2 OAA and 4 DRS whereas splitting his time between shortstop and second base. Wanting like a respectable five-tool expertise, McLain completed with 3.1 FanGraphs WAR in simply over half a season’s value of video games. Hopefully, Cincinnati will lastly be capable to see what he can do over a full season in 2025.
The Reds entered the 2024 marketing campaign with a glut of proficient younger hitters, however a lot of these gamers have struggled this season for one purpose or one other. Spencer Steer and Will Benson have every taken an enormous step again on the plate after their breakout performances in 2023. Noelvi Marte has been a catastrophe since his return from an 80-game PED suspension earlier this 12 months. Christian Encarnacion-Strand was slumping badly earlier than he underwent surgical procedure on his wrist in Might. He has not performed since. McLain was probably the most thrilling of all these names in 2023, and his misplaced 2024 season has been, maybe, probably the most disappointing.
Certainly, the phrase “disappointing” just about sums up the Reds in 2024. A 12 months after ending third within the NL Central and two video games again of the ultimate Wild Card spot, they at present sit fourth of their division and 10.5 video games again of a postseason berth. They’re on tempo to complete 78-84, 4 video games worse than their document in 2023. Their pitching employees ranks sixteenth with a 4.06 ERA, whereas their offense ranks twenty sixth with an 89 wRC+. Additionally they rank twenty sixth with a -23 fielding run worth, per Baseball Savant.
McLain hoped to get again on the sphere earlier than the top of the season. Absolutely, the Reds would have liked to have his bat and glove again on the roster. Nonetheless, at this level within the 12 months, it’s not exhausting to grasp why he and the workforce are placing their efforts towards a stronger and more healthy 2025 as an alternative.
