Matt

McLain

McLain was originally expected to miss about four months after shoulder surgery, but a stress reaction in his rib ruined that timetable. He’ll still likely be penciled into the Reds’ 2025 lineup, probably at second base.

McLain is no longer dealing with any issues associated with his surgically-repaired left shoulder, but has been dealing with a stress reaction in his rib cage. The 25-year-old middle infielder is targeting a late-season return to Cincinnati, but has just a few weeks left to make it back before the regular season wraps up. The hope for fantasy managers is that he’ll be a full-go heading into 2025.

There is still some hope that McLain can make it back this season, but the odds are looking longer by the day. It’s nice to hear that McLain is pain-free, but he will need to start a rehab assignment before that even becomes a consideration. It’s a situation to monitor over the next couple of weeks.

McLain still hasn’t been cleared to resume swinging yet, but it’s a positive update nonetheless. There isn’t a timetable for him to head out on a minor league rehab assignment, which makes it unlikely that he’s going to make it back to the big leagues until at least some point in September, even in a best-case scenario.

Reds’ skipper David Bell had said that there was still a chance that McLain could start his rehab assignment after suffering a stress reaction in his rib, but that will not be the case. Bell also wasn’t able to give a new timeline on when he may be able to do so. It sounds like, with nothing to play for, the Reds may ultimately end up shutting McLain down instead of trying to rush him back onto the field. Fantasy managers that are hanging on in redraft formats may be able to find better uses for that roster spot.

It sounds like it’s just a minor issue, but his activities will at least be limited for the next handful of days. Bell noted that McLain could still potentially begin a minor league rehab assignment on August 12, though that seems a bit optimistic at the moment.

The dynamic 24-year-old infielder isn’t sure how many games that he’ll require on a minor league rehab assignment, but it’s nice to hear that he’s at least progressing in the right direction and has been traveling with the team while he gets his work in. He’s still probably four weeks away from making his 2024 debut, but he could be worth a look as a stash in deeper mixed leagues where he may still be available.

The Reds are in the process of mapping out a definitive timeline for McLain to return at some point in August as he works his way back from late-March surgery on his left shoulder. The 24-year-old middle infielder was excellent last year in his debut for Cincinnati and figures to make a significant impact for fantasy managers down the home stretch, if he can avoid any setbacks. He’s worthy of a speculative stash in deeper mixed leagues at this point, even if he’s a couple months away from returning.

There wasn’t a ton of clarity last month from the Reds after McLain underwent left shoulder surgery. However, it doesn’t sound like he’ll miss the remainder of the season and could return at some point around the trade deadline. The 24-year-old isn’t worth stashing yet, outside of extremely deep mixed leagues, but it certainly sounds like he has a chance to return in the second half of the year.

It’s not completely unexpected as the Reds previously stated that they are hoping to get him back at some point this season after the promising 24-year-old underwent left shoulder surgery earlier this week. There is no timetable for his return at the moment.