Rookie infielder Matt McLain has missed just shy of a month due to a right oblique strain and was expected to return from the 10-day injured list today, ready to join the Reds for the final week of their push for an NL wild-card berth. Unfortunately, McLain won’t be activated for at least the rest of the regular season, as the Reds told reporters (including Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer) that McLain suffered another oblique injury while rehabbing.
The new injury is a Grade 2 strain, a more serious type of oblique problem that would usually mean something in the neighborhood of a two-month layoff (at least). Oblique injuries usually don’t have a set timeline, and yet even if the Reds were to make it all the way to the World Series, there doesn’t appear to be any chance that McLain will be part of even a deep postseason run.
It’s a tough outcome for both McLain and the Reds, who sit 2.5 games out of a wild-card berth with five games remaining in their schedule. The Phillies have all but clinched the top wild-card berth and the Cubs and Diamondbacks are tied for the second and third WC slots, though Cincinnati won their season series against both Chicago and Arizona. That would give the Reds the tiebreaker edge over either club in the event of a matching record, though the Marlins also sit between the Reds and the playoff line.
A team needs all the help it can get in such a tight pennant race, which is why the prospect of McLain’s return looked like such a boost to Cincinnati’s fortunes. McLain has hit .290/.357/.507 with 16 homers over 403 plate appearances in his first MLB season, as he has been arguably the best of the several younger players coming up from the minors to immediately help carry the Reds into contention. Between his offense (128 wRC+) and defensive contributions as both a shortstop and second baseman, McLain generated 3.2 fWAR over his 89 games.
This excellent rookie year certainly establishes McLain as a big part of the Reds’ future, though his absence has undoubtedly hampered the club’s present chances of the playoffs. Cincinnati is 12-13 since McLain’s last game, though a long losing streak at the start of August already dealt a blow to the upstart team’s hopes. The Reds at least got Jonathan India back from the IL earlier this month, and India and Elly De La Cruz have been regularly handling the middle infield duties.
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