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Former UCLA Bruin and current Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain has once again been bit by the injury bug. A bug that has cost him one year to his young career already, the former Bruin infielder looks to bounce back quicker this time around.
Debuting to Major League Baseball in 2023, McLain had a strong campaign for the Reds as he made his name known to the fans of Cincinnati. The 2024 season though was one to forget for the former Bruin, as he missed the whole campaign due to a shoulder injury sustained before the start of the season.
While his shoulder has looked good, the UCLA product was scratched from the lineup due to a hamstring injury. He did however pinch hit for the club but flew out. For the Reds, they will need a healthy McLain if they have any thoughts of making a run for the NL Central division title.
The Reds can't afford to lose another player as their injured list continues to climb, and if McLain is the latest victim, the first month of the season could set the Reds plans back too far to readjust. After all, McLain leads the roster with home runs already this season.
In McLain's 2024 absence, superstar Elly De La Cruz shined for the Reds and took over the shortstop position, moving the former Bruin to second base. After a season riddled with injuries, the move made sense to retain McLain's health, but he is open to the move, as he told reporters during Spring Training.
"I played second base two years in high school," McLain said. "Other than that, I've just kind of moved around. I've always prided myself on being able to play the game wherever and being able to play it at a high level."
Reds manager Terry Francona has been reported saying he will maintain a cautious approach for McLain given his injury past and wouldn't force the UCLA product into the lineup unless he is confident that McLain is feeling strong again.
The Reds and the Milwaukee Brewers' series finale is currently in progress.
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Yankees rumors: 1 trade to watch out for this offseason
The New York Yankees may shock the baseball world this offseason, exploring a trade involving a player acquired just months ago. Rumors have intensified around third baseman Ryan McMahon, who arrived in a mid-season deal but whose expensive contract and inconsistent performance now pose a strategic financial challenge for the club. This swift pivot reflects the organization’s focus on maximizing payroll efficiency to address critical roster deficiencies. Trading McMahon is a direct path to securing the financial flexibility needed to rebuild the struggling bullpen and pursue a high-impact free agent. The dilemma surrounding the 30-year-old third baseman is straightforward. Is elite defense at the hot corner worth a substantial $16 million annual salary when it comes with a bat struggling to produce runs? The Yankees’ goal was to stabilize their defense, but the cost of the commitment has created an awkward roster structure. The organization now recognizes this money could be better spent elsewhere. The trade speculation in the Bronx directly connects to the team’s most urgent need this winter, as the relief corps struggled severely late in the season. Clearing the former Colorado Rockies third baseman’s two remaining years of salary would open up crucial luxury tax space for the Yankees. The idea of moving the veteran gained traction through prominent media voices, giving weight to what began as an unlikely rumor. On the Talkin’ Yanks podcast, the hosts agreed that the Yankees’ infield logjam and McMahon’s contract make a trade increasingly realistic. The show later took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to underline that urgency. Host Jake Storiale summed up the internal issue facing the club with a blunt assessment shared alongside the post. “Don’t be shocked if the Yankees trade Ryan McMahon this offseason” “Sixteen million for a third baseman that definitely has the glove,” Storiale said. “And I’m not sure what you have with the bat — it doesn’t fit this current Yankee. He’s a luxury piece, and the Yankees don’t operate in luxury pieces.” If the Pinstripes truly intend to reshape their roster, the veteran third baseman may be the first domino to fall. His glove remains elite, but his bat — and contract — no longer align with a Yankees team intent on retooling around efficiency and power.
Three teams that should pursue a trade for Titans WR Calvin Ridley
As the Tennessee Titans are free falling towards another season as one of the NFL's worst teams, they will likely sell off some of their higher priced players before the NFL's Nov. 4 trade deadline. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley tops the list of available players on the trade block even as he deals with a hamstring injury. Ridley's big play ability makes him an attractive option for teams looking to add another wide receiver. Even though he's been experiencing an up and down season so far - Ridley has only 16 receptions for 290 yards, he surpassed 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons following sitting out 2022 due to being suspended for betting. So assuming Ridley is healthy enough to remain a trade target, here are the teams that should take a chance on the controversial wide out. Pittsburgh Steelers Aaron Rodgers may have stabilized the Steelers' quarterback position, but that doesn't mean the offense is as consistent as it needs to be for Pittsburgh to truly contend in the AFC. Pittsburgh has only exceeded 30 points twice through seven games. Desperate to increase their offensive output, especially with the defense struggling, the Steelers could use more receiver depth behind DK Metcalf. Acquiring Ridley would provide Rodgers another weapon and make the decision to place double coverage on Metcalf more of a risk for opponents. If Ridley can get back to form, he would unlock an extra dimension for a Steelers team that still holds a comfortable lead in the AFC North. New England Patriots One of the surprising results of the season so far, the Patriots are 6-2 and in first place in the AFC East. But if New England truly hopes to make a playoff push, second-year quarterback Drake Maye may need more at his disposal. To this point, Maye has been forced to work without a true deep threat. And while he's been able to methodically move the ball, Ridley would make his life much easier and stretch the field even more. Seattle Seahawks Another first place team who could use another playmaker, the Seattle Seahawks' offense has started to show signs of weakness in recent weeks. Much like the Steelers, the Seahawks have a legitimate No. 1 wide receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for October. He's been brilliant with three-straight 100 plus-yard games. However, Seattle has only scored 30 points once in its last four games. Pairing Smith-Njigba with Ridley would make the Seahawks more potent as they approach a stretch of the schedule with pivotal divisional matchups coming up.
Warriors castoff has a career night against his old team
The Golden State Warriors traded away Ryan Rollins in 2023 after one season and 12 games with the team. Thursday night, Rollins showed the Warriors what they missed out on. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out with an injury, Rollins scored a career-high 32 points and dished out eight assists as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Warriors, 120-110. Rollins went 5-for-7 from three-point range, tying his career best, and went 13-for-21 overall. In the last four minutes after the Warriors got within points, Rollins had eight points and an assists. Oh, and he outscored Stephen Curry, 32-27. Warriors gave up on Ryan Rollins after one season Golden State traded up to draft Rollins with the No. 44 pick in the 2022 draft, believing that the then-19-year-old guard from Toledo could help it reload their championship roster, which was getting up in age. But Rollins missed Summer League due to a foot injury, then suffered a season-ending Jones fracture. After the season, the Warriors sent Rollins and fellow 2022 draftee Patrick Baldwin, Jr. to the Washington Wizards along with Jordan Poole. In exchange, they got 38-year-old Chris Paul, a serious reversal in the team's earlier youth movement. Rollins was included in the deal to help the Warriors dump Poole's contract, which spanned four more seasons, and to ditch his own guaranteed deal. After a troubled partial season in Washington, the Wizards waived Rollins and he caught on with the Bucks in February 2024. Ryan Rollins' huge night showed the 23-year-old's improvement One game after Rollins had a career-high 25 points against the New York Knicks, he set another career high, this time without Antetokounmpo there to score 37 points and take up the defense's attention. Even with a great defensive player like Jimmy Butler on him, Rollins delivered in the clutch. Rollins has gone 9-for-11 from three-point range in his last two games, but it doesn't feel like a fluke. Last year he shot 40.8% on threes and hit 80% of his free throws, a strong indicator Rollins can truly shoot the ball. He also had 12 steals in his first four games, and while he didn't have a takeaway Thursday night, Rollins has more steals than turnovers (10) on the season and an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio of 5-to-2. Last season, Rollins was a solid reserve, averaging 6.2 points and 1.9 assists while starting 19 games. But with Damian Lillard suffering an Achilles tear and then being waived by the Bucks, Rollins got an opportunity, and got an even bigger one when Kevin Porter, Jr. sprained his ankle in the season opener. Rollins looks like he's going to have a serious future in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Warriors, that future won't be with them.
Dolphins, general manager Chris Grier mutually agree to part ways
The Miami Dolphins and general manager Chris Grier mutually have agreed to part ways, the team announced on Friday morning. The news come hours after Miami fell to 2-7 on the season following a 28-6 setback to the Baltimore Ravens. Multiple reports citing sources indicated the Dolphins will keep head coach Mike McDaniel in his position until the end of the season before ruling on his status. "As I assessed the state of the team and in my discussions with Chris, it became clear to both of us that change could not wait. We must improve -- in 2025, 2026 and beyond -- and it needs to start right now," said Stephen M. Ross, Dolphins chairman of the board/managing general partner. "Champ Kelly will serve as interim general manager effective immediately, and we will begin our search process for a new general manager. I want to thank Champ for stepping up and his commitment to the Dolphins success this season. There is a lot of football left to play and we all need to fight even harder." Kelly, senior personnel executive of the Dolphins, was interim general manager of the Raiders in 2023. Grier, 55, has served as the Dolphins general manager since 2016. He has been with the team since 2000 when he was hired as a scout. The Dolphins haven't won a playoff game since the 2000 season, the longest active drought of any NFL club. "I have always been and remain committed to building a winning team that consistently competes for championships," Ross said. " ... our performance on the field and our team-building process have not been good enough. There are no excuses."
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