Matt McLain - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

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.

17 HOURS AGO • 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.

2 DAYS AGO • 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

Athletics beat Reds 3-0 as Carlos Cortes hits 2 homers

Carlos Cortes hit a pair of solo home runs, Lawrence Butler led off with a homer and the Athletics beat the Cincinnati Reds 3-0 after A’s starter J

SEPTEMBER 13, 2025 • Associated Press

Padres bring home losing streak into matchup with the Reds

The San Diego Padres take on the Cincinnati Reds looking to stop a four-game home slide

SEPTEMBER 8, 2025 • Associated Press

In productive stretch McLain went 1-for-1 with two walks and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Mets.

Impact McLain and other Cincinnati hitters jumped on New York prospect Jonah Tong for three homers in three consecutive innings. He's launched three homers in the last seven games and has a nine-game hit streak, going 11-for-27 (.407) with three home runs, six RBI and eight runs. His .230 batting average is at its highest point since April 2.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

In productive stretch McLain went 1-for-1 with two walks and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Mets.

Impact McLain and other Cincinnati hitters jumped on New York right-hander Jonah Tong for homers in three consecutive innings. He's launched three homers in the last seven games and extended a hit streak to nine contests, during which he's gone 11-for-27 (.407) with three home runs, six RBI and eight runs. His .230 batting average is at its highest point since April 2.

SEPTEMBER 7, 2025 • ROTOWIRE

Sal Stewart's first major league homer powers Reds past Mets 6-3

Sal Stewart hits his first major league home run as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the New York Mets 6-3

SEPTEMBER 7, 2025 • Associated Press

Díaz escapes in 9th inning as Mets hang on to beat Reds 5-4

Mark Vientos homered and Edwin Díaz escaped a major jam in the ninth inning as the New York Mets held off the fading Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in the opener of a pivotal three-game serie...

SEPTEMBER 6, 2025 • Associated Press

Blue Jays tie season-high with five homers in 13-9 win over Reds

George Springer had one of Toronto’s five home runs as the Blue Jays rallied from five runs down to beat the Cincinnati Reds 13-9

SEPTEMBER 4, 2025 • Associated Press

Last Night in Baseball: Trevor Story Hit a Homer You Have to See to Understand

Trevor Story hit a Fenway homer that you need to see, the Reds had a wild comeback nearly stopped by a fence, Juan Soto has gone full Juan S...

SEPTEMBER 2, 2025 • FOX SPORTS

Last Night in Baseball: Trevor Story Hit a Homer You Have to See to Understand

Marte hits walk-off single after Reds lose tying run on lodged ball, Cincinnati tops Blue Jays 5-4

Noelvi Marte hit a game-ending, two-run single after Cincinnati lost the tying run on a rare lodged ball call, and the Reds rallied to beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4 following a ni...

SEPTEMBER 1, 2025 • Associated Press

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