The mystery surrounding the injury to Matt McLain has finally been unveiled. According to Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer, McLain underwent surgery Tuesday to repair cartilage damage and the labrum in his left shoulder. A timeline for his recovery has yet to be decided, however, the Cincinnati Reds are optimistic that he will return at some point during the season. The 17th overall pick in the 2021 MLB Draft made his major league debut last year and became a household name in Cincinnati.
“Yesterday, Matt McLain had successful surgery to address cartilage damage and repair his labrum in his left shoulder,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said. “An exact timeline is still TBD as it has a wide range of possibilities. We hope to have Matt back this season.”
From Nick Krall: “Yesterday, Matt McLain had successful surgery to address cartilage damage and repair his labrum in his left shoulder. An exact timeline is still TBD as it has a wide range of possibilities. We hope to have Matt back this season.”
— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) March 27, 2024
Matt McLain Undergoes Shoulder Surgery
In 89 games, McLain turned in a robust .290/.357/.307 slash line with 16 home runs, 23 doubles, four triples and 14 stolen bases. He struck out in 28.5 percent in his trips to the plate while walking at a 7.7 percent rate. McLain was injured during a spring training workout on March 18, attempting to make a diving catch but fell on his non-throwing shoulder. At first, it was expected to be a minor injury, but when the 24-year-old got a second opinion on Monday, surgery was the best option for him.
Who’s on Second?
The absence of McLain means that Cincinnati’s main option at second base is Jonathan India. The former National League Rookie of the Year was a regular at the position from 2021-23. Before McLain’s injury, India was set for a utility role with the latter getting regular playing time at second. Spencer Steer and newly acquired Santiago Espinal are strong considerations to play the position with India. The fact that the Reds acquired Espinal after the McLain news was a foreshadowing of bad news regarding the infielder. There’s a lot to be excited about with the Reds depth of infield talent. However, the injury to McLain and Noevli Marte’s 80-game suspension has thinned out the depth altogether.
Another Setback
This is a less-than-ideal situation for the Reds who are slowly making their way into contention talk. As the club suffers yet another setback during spring training, this will be a test of adversity. These young players are still feeling out the waters at the major league level yet the pieces are coming together.
“Spring training wasn’t without its challenges over the last couple of weeks,” said Reds manager David Bell last week. “With the parts we could control, I couldn’t be happier about how our players handled it. Especially with all the things that are important to us. The way we work and the way we play. Continuing to come together as a team. That’ll help us get through these challenges that popped up here. Overall, it was exactly what you hope for and plan. Really happy with how our players went about it.”
Main Photo: © Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK
