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Jul. 9—As the Cincinnati Reds enter the second half of the season, their plan at second base remains a work in progress as Matt McLain and Edwin Arroyo split time at that position.
McLain entered the season as the Reds' every day second baseman, but offensively he has gone on to take a statistical step back in 2026.
"I've got to play better," McLain said. "I've got to keep it simple, work hard and control what I can."
In spring training, there was a lot of optimism about where he stood. There was hope that he'd get right back to being the All-Star caliber player that he was in 2023. While he has played elite defense, McLain hasn't been able to hit for enough average or consistently get on base at a good enough clip in 2026.
Manager Terry Francona has stuck with McLain through his struggles.
"He has shown flashes of what he can do," Francona said. "We all know it's in there. It just hasn't been enough. But man, when you think somebody is a good player, you want to exhaust it. You see guys who go somewhere else and find it. You want them to find it here, especially a guy who can defend like that."
Over the last month, McLain has been splitting playing time at second base with rookie Edwin Arroyo.
Arroyo, a former top-prospect, was a center piece of the Luis Castillo trade in 2022. Arroyo's strengths are his ability to make the highlight play defensively and his ability to pick up base hits down the line.
But Arroyo hasn't been consistent enough to earn the full-time second base job yet. McLain has actually produced more offensively than Arroyo has this season, and Arroyo has struggled with some routine plays at second base.
"I'm getting more consistent and getting used to the league," Arroyo said. "Nothing really has changed much. A couple of adjustments. Every pitcher is different with how they attack you. Once I started to know them more, and they know me more, it's a little different."
While Arroyo is getting more playing time at second base, McLain has been playing some center field for the first time in his big league career.
The Reds have a major need in center field right now, especially with both Blake Dunn and Dane Myers on the injured list. Center fielder TJ Friedl is having a down season, and he especially struggles against left-handed pitching. As a result, McLain has been starting in center field recently when the Reds face left-handed pitching.
Reds outfield coach Collin Cowgill sees a lot of upside in McLain's center field defense. So far, McLain has really impressed in his few starts in the outfield.
"With Matt, it's really easy," Cowgill said. "He's a super athlete. He has experience there from college and the Fall League. With his middle infield experience, he sees the ball well. He understands the ball entering the zone and cheating toward the location of the pitch. He has the prerequisites."
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McLain entered the season as the Reds' every day second baseman, but offensively he has gone on to take a statistical step back in 2026.
"I've got to play better," McLain said. "I've got to keep it simple, work hard and control what I can."
In spring training, there was a lot of optimism about where he stood. There was hope that he'd get right back to being the All-Star caliber player that he was in 2023. While he has played elite defense, McLain hasn't been able to hit for enough average or consistently get on base at a good enough clip in 2026.
Manager Terry Francona has stuck with McLain through his struggles.
"He has shown flashes of what he can do," Francona said. "We all know it's in there. It just hasn't been enough. But man, when you think somebody is a good player, you want to exhaust it. You see guys who go somewhere else and find it. You want them to find it here, especially a guy who can defend like that."
Over the last month, McLain has been splitting playing time at second base with rookie Edwin Arroyo.
Arroyo, a former top-prospect, was a center piece of the Luis Castillo trade in 2022. Arroyo's strengths are his ability to make the highlight play defensively and his ability to pick up base hits down the line.
But Arroyo hasn't been consistent enough to earn the full-time second base job yet. McLain has actually produced more offensively than Arroyo has this season, and Arroyo has struggled with some routine plays at second base.
"I'm getting more consistent and getting used to the league," Arroyo said. "Nothing really has changed much. A couple of adjustments. Every pitcher is different with how they attack you. Once I started to know them more, and they know me more, it's a little different."
While Arroyo is getting more playing time at second base, McLain has been playing some center field for the first time in his big league career.
The Reds have a major need in center field right now, especially with both Blake Dunn and Dane Myers on the injured list. Center fielder TJ Friedl is having a down season, and he especially struggles against left-handed pitching. As a result, McLain has been starting in center field recently when the Reds face left-handed pitching.
Reds outfield coach Collin Cowgill sees a lot of upside in McLain's center field defense. So far, McLain has really impressed in his few starts in the outfield.
"With Matt, it's really easy," Cowgill said. "He's a super athlete. He has experience there from college and the Fall League. With his middle infield experience, he sees the ball well. He understands the ball entering the zone and cheating toward the location of the pitch. He has the prerequisites."
Continue reading...
