Matt McLain - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Productive at plate in win McLain went 3-for-4 with one RBI, one run scored and two walks in Saturday's 6-5 win over the Red Sox.

Impact McLain tore the cover off the ball during spring training and is carrying it over to begin the regular season. McLain drew an eight-pitch walk in the first inning and later scored on a fielder's choice. He then drove in Ke'Bryan Hayes with an RBI double in his second plate appearance. Through two games, McLain is 3-for-7 at the plate with three walks.

1 DAY AGO • ROTOWIRE

Garrett Crochet throws 6 shutout innings as Red Sox defeat Reds 3-0

Garrett Crochet allowed only three hits in six innings, Ceddanne Rafaela hit an RBI single in the seventh inning and the Boston Red Sox posted their first opening day shutout since...

3 DAYS AGO • Associated Press

Back in action Tuesday McLain (illness) is starting at second base and batting second in Tuesday's exhibition game against the Brewers, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Impact McLain was unavailable for Monday's exhibition game due to an illness, but he's good to go after taking a day to recover. The second baseman will begin the season batting second for the Reds after posting a .220/.300/.343 slash line with 15 homers and 18 steals in 147 regular-season games last year.

6 DAYS AGO • ROTOWIRE

Overcoming illness McLain will not play in Monday's exhibition game versus the Brewers due to illness, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Impact McLain caught a flu bug that made its way around the Reds' clubhouse, but the team anticipates the second baseman playing in Tuesday's exhibition finale. The 26-year-old is slated to open the 2026 campaign as the Reds' two-hole hitter.

MARCH 23 • ROTOWIRE

NL Central Preview: Loaded Cubs going for the division title, but Brewers and Reds are lurking

Alex Bregman is hoping to lead the Chicago Cubs to their first NL Central title since 2020 after signing a $175 million, five-year contract with the North Siders in free agency

MARCH 19 • Associated Press

ESPN analyst makes the case for Matt McLain to be a top sleeper pick in fantasy | Sporting News The Reds slugger could be an excellent fantasy option.

MARCH 18 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

McLain earns two-spot in lineup; Abbott 'waiting out the storm' after rough start SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- It wasn't a roster competition, but the Reds came into camp with an open question about who would bat second in their l...

MARCH 17 • MLB.COM

Will bat second this season Manager Terry Francona said Monday that McLain will bat second in the order this season, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

Impact It's not unexpected, but it's notable confirmation from Francona. McLain, of course, started out last season batting second but was hitting under .200 until late June and was quickly bumped down to the nine spot in the lineup. The 26-year-old, however, has been swinging a scorching hot bat this spring, slashing .553/.605/1.105 with six home runs, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored, two stolen bases and a 5:4 BB:K across 43 plate appearances. He's been a fast riser up fantasy draft boards and appears set to hit in front of Elly De La Cruz this season.

MARCH 16 • ROTOWIRE

Reds' Matt McLain posting absurd Spring Training numbers that resemble MLB The Show statistics | Sporting News McLain looks like Aaron Judge at the plate right now.

MARCH 12 • SPORTINGNEWS.COM

Locked in at plate McLain batted second and went 2-for-2 with two walks, two home runs, six RBI and a third run scored in Monday's spring game against the Cubs.

Impact McLain is wielding a hot stick early in the Cactus League and is 8-for-14 with three homers and nine RBI through five games. He's poised for a bounce-back season after slumping for much of 2025 and landing in the bottom of the order. McLain looks like the 2023 version of himself, when he posted an .864 OPS and 127 OPS+ as a rookie.

MARCH 3 • ROTOWIRE

Hits in four straight McLain batted second and went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's spring game against Milwaukee.

Impact McLain has batted second and gathered hits in all four Cactus League appearances, going 6-for-12 with a walk and three RBI. He opened 2025 up in the batting order but struggled for much of the season and eventually was dropped to the bottom third. If he continues to hit like he's shown thus far in spring training, McLain could find himself batting second again with protection from Elly De La Cruz batting third.

MARCH 1 • ROTOWIRE

Hitting second McLain went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI while batting second in Sunday's spring training loss to the Mariners. The Reds would like to see McLain bat second this year, but man...

Impact McLain hit second 66 times last season and struggled in the role. Francona suggested that it won't merely be McLain's spring training stat line that will drive the batting order decision. "Just like everyone, you want them to feel good about themselves when they leave here," Francona said. "That's the whole idea. If I had a formula, we'd do it. You want guys to play enough. Everyone is different, which is ok."

FEBRUARY 23 • ROTOWIRE

Adds 12 pounds over offseason McLain has added 12 pounds of muscle over the offseason, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.

Impact After rehabbing injuries each of the last two offseasons, McLain has been able to focus on training this winter and said he feels like he's getting a "fresh start" heading into the 2026 season. The second baseman slashed a disappointing .220/.300/.343 over 147 regular-season contests in 2025, but he has some bounce-back potential heading into his age-26 campaign.

JANUARY 16 • ROTOWIRE

Details of Matt McLain's $2.3 million, 1-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds

Details of Matt McLain’s $2.3 million, one-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds

JANUARY 9 • Associated Press

Avoids arbitration McLain agreed to a one-year, $2.3 million contract with the Reds on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.

Impact McLain missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from shoulder and rib injuries, but he was healthy for the start of the season. He started strong with three home runs and five RBI through the first four games, though that momentum was halted after he landed on the IL due to a hamstring strain. That turned out to be his only stint on the IL in 2025, and he finished the regular season with a .643 OPS with 15 home runs, 50 RBI, 18 stolen bases and 73 runs over 577 plate appearances while appearing in 147 games. With a full season under his belt, McLain will enter the 2026 campaign as the projected everday second baseman for the Reds.

JANUARY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Reds' faith in McLain unshaken despite tough '25 season CINCINNATI -- Call it bounceback attempt 2.0 for Reds second baseman Matt McLain in 2026. As a rookie after being called up on May 15, 2023,...

DECEMBER 29, 2025 • MLB.COM

How Matt McLain impressed Reds manager Terry Francona in wild card opener In his postseason debut, Matt McLain looked like the player the Cincinnati Reds expected throughout 2025.

OCTOBER 2, 2025 • CINCINNATI.COM

Matt McLain has Reds' first hit of MLB postseason vs Dodgers "It was nice to see McLain jump on a first-pitch fastball," Reds manager Terry Francona told ESPN's Alden Gonzalez during an in-game intervi...

OCTOBER 1, 2025 • CINCINNATI.COM

Reds Maintain Advantage Over Mets in NL Wild Card Race by Beating Brewers

Cincinnati moved a step closer to its first postseason berth since 2020 with a 7-4 victory over Milwaukee on Saturday night.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2025 • FOX SPORTS

Reds Maintain Advantage Over Mets in NL Wild Card Race by Beating Brewers

Absent from lineup McLain is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Pirates.

Impact McLain is in a 6-for-46 drought at the plate, so he will begin Thursday's series finale on the bench. Gavin Lux will handle second base and bat third for the Reds.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Oneil Cruz's 2-run homer helps Pirates snap Reds' 5-game win streak with 4-2 victory

Oneil Cruz hit a two-run homer and the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates beat the wild-card chasing Cincinnati Reds 4-2

SEPTEMBER 24, 2025 • Associated Press

Surging Reds blank Cubs, move into tie for NL wild card spot

The surging Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 1-0 on Sunday and moved into a tie with the New York Mets for the final wild card spot in the National League

SEPTEMBER 21, 2025 • Associated Press

Spencer Steer hits 2 of the Reds' 5 homers in a 7-4 win over the Cubs

Spencer Steer hit two of Cincinnati’s season-high five homers as the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 7-4 on to keep pace in the National League wild-card race

SEPTEMBER 20, 2025 • Associated Press

Stephenson hits 3-run double, Reds beat Cardinals 11-6 and close within 2 games of last NL wild card

Tyler Stephenson hit a bases-clearing double in the ninth inning and the Cincinnati Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 11-6 to close within two games of the New York Mets for the la...

SEPTEMBER 16, 2025 • Associated Press

Getting rest Saturday McLain isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics.

Impact McLain will get a breather Saturday after going 9-for-32 (.281) with a homer, four RBI and six runs scored through his first 10 games of September. Gavin Lux will start at the keystone instead, moving TJ Friedl into the DH spot and opening up center field for Will Benson.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

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