What Is Up With Matt McLain?

After missing the entirely of the 2024 season due to a shoulder injury, 25 year-old Matt McLain looked to make a grand return to the field to build off of an impressive rookie 2023 season.

Despite a hot first week of the season, McLain has cooled down considerably, currently hitting under the Mendoza line, looking as lost as ever at the plate.

McLain’s Rookie Season

McLain broke out in a big way in 2023, slashing .290/.357/.507 for an .864 OPS and 127 OPS+ in 89 games. He struggled a bit with swing and misses, with a 28.5 K% (16th percentile) and a 28.0 Whiff% (35th percentile). However, he did display impressive plate discipline, with a 7.7 BB% (39th percentile) and a 25.4 Chase% (72nd percentile).

He split time between shortstop and second base, accumulating 3 OAA (92nd percentile), making him one of the best middle infielders in the league defensively.

All around, he had a complete season, even tagging along 14 stolen bases to pair with his 16 home runs, posing as a real power speed threat in the heart of Cincinnati’s lineup.

McLain’s 2025 Struggles

After a 0-for-5 Opening Day, McLain homered in three consecutive games with five RBI. He slashed .300/.364/.800 for a 1.164 OPS in 22 plate appearances in the first five games of the year, providing the Reds lineup with some much-needed offensive impact.

However, his current slash line is far from what it was at the beginning of the year, as he’s currently slashing .176/.289/.318 for a .607 OPS and 66 OPS+. He’s struggling more than ever with swings and misses, with a gaudy 32.8 K% (3rd percentile) and a 30.9 Whiff% (14th percentile). He is, however, walking at a 12.1% clip (81st percentile) while chasing only 24.7% of pitches out of the zone (67th percentile), meaning he isn’t chasing, but is whiffing on pitches inside the strike zone.

He’s looked as lost as ever at the plate lately, as he’s just 2 for his last 16 with nine strikeouts and zero walks.

On a more encouraging note, his speed and defense have not betrayed him like his bat has to begin the year, as he has 3 OAA (92nd percentile) at second base and 10 stolen bases. His baseline as a player will always be a solid defender and baserunner, but Cincinnati expects much better production than that. His relatively small track record shows he can perform at a much higher level, and the season is still young.

McLain’s Expectations

Hopes are that McLain can turn it around and turn it around quickly if he and the Reds want any part of a successful season where they aren’t hovering around .500. With guys like Will Benson, Rece Hinds, and Gavin Lux currently on a heater, it has taken some pressure off of McLain.

However, McLain has to be better for the Reds to succeed, as they’re already a team lacking infield depth.