McLain went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and an additional run scored during the Reds' 7-6 extra-inning loss to the Cubs on Wednesday.
McClain cut the Reds' deficit to 4-2 when he smacked a solo homer off Colin Rea in the fifth inning. The long ball broke McClain's six-game hitless streak (during which he went 0-for-17 with four strikeouts), and his home run Wednesday was his third of the season.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Dropped from starting nine Monday
Rotowire
McLain is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Cubs.
After being dropped to the ninth spot in the batting order during Sunday's 1-0 loss to the Pirates, McLain will be left out of the lineup entirely as the Reds open a four-game set in Chicago. McLain might be losing hold of a regular starting role, as he's undoubtedly failed to meet expectations for the Reds and fantasy managers alike early on this season. The 26-year-old has produced a .195/.308/.293 slash line with two home runs, five steals, nine RBI and 13 runs through 34 games.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Sitting Saturday
Rotowire
McLain is not in the Reds' starting lineup against the Pirates on Saturday.
McLain has struggled at the plate as of late, having gone 3-for-24 (.125) with one steal, one RBI and 10 strikeouts over his last six games. He'll be on the bench for the start of Saturday's game while Sal Stewart starts at second base and bats in the cleanup spot.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Taking seat Saturday
Rotowire
McLain isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Angels.
McLain will step out of the starting nine Saturday after going 0-for-4 to begin the series Friday. His absence will move Sal Stewart to second base while Nathaniel Lowe starts at first, batting sixth.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Logs first steal
Rotowire
McLain went 0-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 2-1 win over Texas.
McLain put himself in scoring position when he stole second base after leading off the eighth inning with a walk. He scored the game-winning run on an Elly De La Cruz single. The steal was the first in nine games for McLain, who had double-digit swipes in 2023 and 2025.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Productive at plate in win
Rotowire
McLain went 3-for-4 with an RBI, a run scored and two walks in Saturday's 6-5 win over the Red Sox.
McLain tore the cover off the ball during spring training and is carrying it over to begin the regular season. The second baseman 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.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Back in action Tuesday
Rotowire
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.
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.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Locked in at plate
Rotowire
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.
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 appears poised for a bounce-back season after slumping for much of 2025 and landing in the bottom of the order. McLain is looking like he did in 2023, when he posted an .864 OPS and 127 OPS+ as a rookie.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Hitting second
Rotowire
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 manager Terry Francona won't force it, Charlie Goldsmith of The Dayton Daily News reports. He was hitting second in a lineup that featured a typical top of the order, with TJ Friedl and Elly De La Cruz sandwiching McLain and Eugenio Suarez batting cleanup.
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."
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Adds 12 pounds over offseason
Rotowire
McLain has added 12 pounds of muscle over the offseason, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.
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.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Getting rest Saturday
Rotowire
McLain isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Athletics.
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.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: In productive stretch
Rotowire
McLain went 1-for-1 with two walks and a solo home run in Saturday's 6-3 win over the Mets.
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.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Belts homer in loss
Rotowire
McLain went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Cardinals.
McLain's seventh-inning home run brought the Reds within a run, but they couldn't complete the comeback. The homer was his 12th of the season, but his first since July 18 and just his fifth extra-base hit in the second half. August hasn't been kind to McLain, who has a .219/.254/.281 slash line over 21 games this month.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Off day Wednesday
Rotowire
McLain is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies.
McLain will take a breather, and Santiago Espinal will man second base and bat eighth Wednesday. Over the last 30 days, McLain has slashed .279/.326/.349 with one home run, seven RBI, 11 runs scored, three stolen bases and a 7:26 BB:K. The extra-base power hasn't been there for McLain this season. After slugging .507 as a rookie in 2023, McLain missed the 2024 season and has slugged just .339 across 452 plate appearances this year.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Receiving day off
Rotowire
McLain is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
He's gone 4-for-11 with a walk while starting the first three games of the series in Pittsburgh, but McLain will receive a breather on getaway day. Gavin Lux will step in at second base and bat second.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Exiting starting nine
Rotowire
McLain is not in the lineup for Wednesday's tilt against the Cubs.
McLain looks to be receiving a routine day off after starting in each of the previous 11 contests. Gavin Lux will get the nod at second base as the Reds try to complete the sweep.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Raps two hits, RBI in win
Rotowire
McLain went 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 6-2 win over the Rays.
The Reds plated two runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings, and McLain had a role in all three rallies. He's hit safely in 10 of 11 games, going 15-for-44 (.341) with three extra-base hits, four RBI, three walks, a stolen base and six runs scored during that stretch. His batting average is up to .220, its highest point since April 3.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Matches career steal mark
Rotowire
McLain went 1-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 3-2 loss to the Mets.
McLain had a hand in both Cincinnati runs. His first-inning single contributed to the the first run, and then he walked and stole a base before scoring a game-tying run in the eighth. The steal was his 14th through 90 games, tying the career-high mark he established as a rookie over 89 games in 2023.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Slugs homer as No. 2 hitter
Rotowire
McLain went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's 4-1 win over St. Louis.
McLain gave the Reds an early lead when he belted a first-inning home run, which extended his hit streak to 10 games. A season-opening slump prompted manager Terry Francona to drop McLain to eighth or ninth in the order over the last several weeks, but he moved into the No. 2 spot Sunday for just the second time since mid-May. In his last 15 games, McLain has posted a .340/.421/.560 line with three home runs and eight RBI, and his continued surge at the plate could result in him settling into the two hole on a more consistent basis.
... See More... See Less
Reds' Matt McLain: Piles on in win
Rotowire
McLain went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Saturday's 11-1 win over the Tigers.
McLain's three-run blast in the eighth inning provided further cushion for Cincinnati in the blowout win. Even though he's gone a respectable 7-for-26 at the plate over his last eight games, McLain is still batting just .186 on the season on the heels of a rough April and May. He continues to bat ninth in the order on a regular basis, though he'll elevate to the No. 2 spot for Sunday's series finale while the Tigers send left-handed opener Tyler Holton to the hill.
