Matt McLain collects three hits, swipes a base

McLain’s slam off Ryne Stanek gave the Reds a 5-4 lead in the sixth. He had a chance for another one with two outs in the ninth and the Reds down 10-9, but his 102-mph liner to right was easily handled by Jordan Walker. McLain did also walk and score a second run today. He’s back looking like a decent mixed-league option while hitting .259 with four homers and three steals in his last 17 games.

He also picked up his 14th steal of the season. It’s a little insulting that the Reds have taken to hitting McLain ninth behind Ke’Bryan Hayes on occasion of late, but with that happening again tonight, the two actually hit back-to-back homers in the fifth. McLain’s homer was his third in nine games and 11th in 363 plate appearances on the season.

McLain’s home run was his ninth of the year. He hit a solo shot off Jacob Lopez in the fifth inning. McLain is 4-for-19 (.210) in six games since returning from the injured list.

The surprising part is that they also sent down Edwin Arroyo, giving McLain what appears to be another real chance at playing time at second base after he struggled mightily in 309 plate appearances so far this year. McLain has eight homers and 11 stolen bases despite hitting .190, so he may be of deep-league interest again if he can start hitting.

Francona added that they want McLain to continue getting at-bats in the minors for a few additional games. The 26-year-old middle infielder has been out with a calf strain since mid-July. He generated a ton of hype with a stellar performance in spring training, but has really struggled at the dish this season, hitting .190 with eight homers and 11 steals in 309 plate appearances.

McLain, who was dealing with a calf strain, looks likely to be back after just a short layoff if the Reds will have him. There’s not exactly a spot in the lineup for him with Edwin Arroyo essentially becoming the everyday second baseman while Ke’Bryan Hayes has been activated to play good defense at third base and get two hits every 10 at-bats. The Reds had started to try him in center field before the injury, so perhaps that’s another ticket to the lineup.

McLain’s calf injury helps the Reds activate Ke’Bryan Hayes. McLain was day-to-day with the calf as of last night. McLain has hit a disappointing .190/.293/.328 in 309 plate appearances this year, though he has provided 11 stolen bases and eight homers along the way. Managers in deeper leagues can probably cut bait at this point if they have better options on the wire.

It was a box score-stuffing night for Hayes, who also played the entire game at third base. He’s played only four rehab games so far, but he seems like he’ll be ready to go after the All-Star break. Since Hayes has no minor league options left, the Reds will likely need to decide whether to send down Edwin Arroyo or Matt McLain when Hayes is ready to come back. Another option could be Nathaniel Lowe, who has hit just .203/.313/.261 with a 34 percent strikeout rate in 27 games since June 1st.

McLain made his first appearance in the outfield during Tuesday’s contest in Milwaukee and will draw his first start there during this one. The transition to more of a multi-position role feels like a clear indication that the Reds are going to roll with top prospect Edwin Arroyo as their primary second baseman. He’s made five consecutive starts at the keystone since last weekend.

There was reason for concern after De La Cruz sprained his left ankle during Sunday’s series finale against the Pirates. The 24-year-old fantasy superstar was able to finish out the contest, just his second since returning from a three-week stint on the injured list with a hamstring strain, and the Reds have apparently determined that he won’t require any additional time off to recover. It’s an extremely encouraging sign that he’s ready for Monday’s contest in Milwaukee at DH while Matt McLain handles shortstop with rookie Edwin Arroyo at the keystone.