Questions loom…
Matt McLain has zero hits in 14 trips to the plate in Cactus League action this spring, as the former 1st round pick of the Cincinnati Reds dealt with oblique soreness throughout much of camp. Yes, it’s a similar injury to the one that derailed his otherwise electric rookie campaign in 2023, and that’s something that’s hard to simply dismiss – especially given the nagging injuries we’ve seen to so many other of his peers.
It wasn’t the oblique that made him a surprise late scratch over the weekend against the San Francisco Giants, though. That was due to something he felt in his shoulder, and that ‘something’ is something that popped up in his recent MRI, as The Enquirer’s Charlie Goldsmith relayed on Tuesday afternoon.
In said relay: the word ‘surgery’ being tossed out as a possibility by manager David Bell, something that may or may not happen (but comes with the veiled worry of serious connotations).
David Bell said Matt McLain (left shoulder) got an MRI. They’re looking at all the options for next steps. David Bell said that he wasn’t sure if McLain would start the year on the active roster or the IL.
“All of the options are on the table.” One of the options is surgery,…
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) March 20, 2024
Noelvi Marte is suspended for 80 games. TJ Friedl broke his wrist. Brandon Williamson and Nick Lodolo won’t be ready for Opening Day, while the bullpen is still shuffling as each of Alex Young, Sam Moll, and Ian Gibaut fight through injuries. A McLain injury of serious nature would be something of a hammer blow to that already growing list of issues, one that might thrust Jonathan India (and his persistently balky foot) into being an everyday middle-infielder once again.
Or, it could end up being ‘something’ close to nothing. That’s the incredibly wide range of options that are out there in this odd scenario, which tells me it’s in a pretty precarious spot to watch over the days leading up to next week’s Opening Day.
For now, it’s just hard to watch, both for the state of this once-deep Reds lineup and McLain himself. The recent history of 1st round picks of the Reds getting off to good starts only to fall completely apart is ominous in its own conspiratorial way, so I won’t even speak their names into existence here (and will instead lean on the power of our photo library).
Get well soon, Matt. Don’t scroll further down than this if you’re reading.
Photo by Brandon Sloter/Image Of Sport/Getty Images
Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images
Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images
Photo by George Gojkovich/Getty Images
Sorry, sorry, sorry.