The Cincinnati Reds still have a slim path to the postseason, but the bigger conversation around this club is clearly about what comes next. With the season winding down, the attention turns to the players who need to show they belong in the long-term picture, and Matt McLain sits near the center of that discussion.
Ryan Phillips of Sports Illustrated recently slotted the Reds at No. 23 in his league rankings and pointed to McLain as the player worth tracking in September.
"Simply put, it’s been a disaster of a season for McLain. Three years ago, the 2021 first-round pick looked like a budding star, putting up a 3.2 fWAR and 129 wRC+ in 89 games as a rookie," Phillips wrote. "But a shoulder injury cost him all of the ‘24 season, and in the two years since returning, he’s hit .206/.293/.340 in just over 1,000 plate appearances.
"He’s managed 28 homers and 34 steals during that time and is still just 27, so the Reds may continue to give him ample opportunity to prove he can be a part of their core. But the longer the struggles continue, the more questions will be asked about his future role with the team."
That’s the tension with McLain right now. He was supposed to be one of the defining pieces of this era for Cincinnati, but his production since that strong rookie showing in 2023 has fallen off sharply. The Reds need more than upside at this stage; they need evidence.
This season has been rough by any measure. McLain is hitting .188/.285/.336 with a 73 OPS+.
He has struggled in just about every area at the plate, and his strikeout issues have become a real concern. The numbers put him near the bottom of the league in Batting Run Value, and the trend line does not point to an easy fix.
For Cincinnati, the goal has to be clarity. The Reds need a dependable answer at second base, and if McLain is going to be that guy, September has to look different. The final stretch is his chance to show he can still be part of the core the organization is trying to build.
In Other News...
Reds Just Found An Intriguing New Outfield Depth Option
The Reds added another name to their outfield mix this week, signing Dominic Fletcher to a minor league contract and sending him to Triple-A Louisville. For a club that is always weighing depth as the season wears on, Fletcher brings a little more experience to the stash in case the major league roster needs help down the line.
Fletcher has already gotten a taste of the big leagues with the Diamondbacks and White Sox, and he arrives in the organization after opting out of a minor league deal with the Pirates. Cincinnati will take a close look at him in Louisville as it evaluates whether he can become useful outfield insurance, the kind of move that rarely grabs attention now but can matter later if injuries or underperformance thin the group. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Give Carlos Jorge A Shot At A Role They Need Right Now
The Reds made a roster move that points straight to an immediate need, selecting outfield prospect Carlos Jorge's contract ahead of their series opener against the Brewers. To clear space, Cincinnati optioned Ivan Johnson to Triple-A Louisville and shifted Michael Toglia to the 60-day injured list, opening a door for Jorge, a 22-year-old converted infielder whose defense and speed have helped him climb into the conversation even while he sits just outside the clubs top 15 prospects.
Jorge has spent this season grinding through 88 minor-league games, and the call-up gives the Reds a chance to see whether his athleticism can translate to a role at the big-league level right away. For a team in search of help on the roster, the move is less about long-term projection than the possibility that a player with his profile can provide a useful answer when the need is immediate. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Prospect Mason Morris Is Forcing His Way Onto The Radar
Mason Morris has started to look like more than just another arm in the Reds system. The right-hander, taken by Cincinnati in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft, has settled in nicely over his last five starts while moving between Low-A and High-A Dayton, a stretch that has helped put him on the map a little faster than some prospects in his class.
MLB Pipeline already has Morris ranked as the organizations No. 25 prospect, and the appeal is easy to see. His cutter stands out as his best pitch, and the Reds have been building him up as a starter after he worked mostly as a reliever in college. For a farm system always searching for pitching help, Morris is becoming the kind of name that can force a longer look. [Read more 🡒]