Reds Need Matt McLain to Regain 2023 Form

After missing 2024 season, McLain struggled in 2025 and must bounce back for Cincinnati to contend.

Mar. 26, 2026 at 10:19pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The Cincinnati Reds are hoping for a big bounce-back season from Matt McLain, who burst onto the scene in 2023 but missed all of 2024 due to shoulder surgery and struggled in 2025. The Reds need McLain to recapture his 2023 form, when he posted a 3.2 WAR, to complement stars like Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez in their lineup.

Why it matters

The Reds are looking to build on their surprise playoff appearance last season, and they need McLain to emerge as a star alongside De La Cruz and Suarez in order to be a true contender in the NL Central. McLain's development is crucial to the Reds' hopes of sustained success.

The details

After a strong rookie campaign in 2023 where he hit .290/.357/.507 with 16 home runs, McLain missed the entire 2024 season following shoulder surgery. He returned in 2025 but struggled, hitting just .220 with a .643 OPS. The Reds are counting on the 24-year-old to regain his 2023 form and become a cornerstone of their lineup.

  • McLain made his MLB debut in 2023.
  • He missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
  • McLain returned in 2025 but struggled, hitting .220 with a .643 OPS.

The players

Matt McLain

A 24-year-old infielder for the Cincinnati Reds who burst onto the scene in 2023 but missed 2024 due to injury and struggled in 2025.

Elly De La Cruz

A rising star in the Reds' lineup who the team hopes will pair with McLain to form a potent one-two punch.

Eugenio Suarez

A veteran slugger who the Reds signed this offseason to provide power in their lineup.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“The Reds badly need another star to emerge in their lineup to go with Elly De La Cruz. Matt McLain is probably the most logical pick, as he looked like a budding superstar during his first 89 MLB games in 2023, when he posted a 3.2 WAR. Since then, though, McLain missed all of 2024 recovering from left shoulder surgery, and then struggled in 2025, a season he finished with just a .643 OPS.”

— Tim Kelly, Bleacher Report Writer

The takeaway

The Reds' hopes of building on last season's surprise playoff appearance hinge on Matt McLain regaining the form he showed in his impressive 2023 rookie campaign. If McLain can bounce back and emerge as a star alongside Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez, the Reds could be a force in the NL Central.