Matt McLain had shoulder surgery and the Reds don’t know when they’ll get him back

The 2024 season is off to a roaring beginning.

Remember when Matt McLain had a little blip of a shoulder issue, got shut down, and then after a few days headed off to California for a ‘second opinion’ from a guy who’s famous for doing big surgeries?

Well, after a couple of days of radio silence, it turns out the visit to the guy who does big surgeries did another big surgery, this time on McLain. The Cincinnati Reds announced this morning that their would-be 2B for Opening Day had his left labrum repaired (along with some cartilage), and there’s no timetable for his return.

It’s a brutal blow to a club who already has TJ Friedl on the shelf with a broken wrist, and now their infield depth may well be tested for the duration of the entire season. Even if McLain returns, it remains to be see how this, along with his numerous oblique injuries, impacts the power we surprisingly saw on display during his breakout rookie campaign through the first part of 2023.

Best of luck to Matt as he recovers.