SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — After lacking the whole thing of the 2024 season following left shoulder surgical procedure, Matt McLain wanted at-bats. Despite the fact that the Reds infielder had 365 big-league at-bats in 2023 and obtained Rookie of the 12 months votes, he opted to come back again to the Arizona Fall League, the place he performed as a prospect in 2022.
It took some time for the 25-year-old McLain to have the ability to play commonly, getting two video games in early after which lacking greater than every week. Now able to get again right into a routine, he confronted one other drawback: The place have been these wanted plate appearances going to come back from? The Glendale Desert Canine had plenty of infielders on the roster, so there have been solely so many video games to go round. McLain, all the time one to do no matter it took to be within the lineup, signed up instantly when another was supplied.
“I talked with our farm director, Jeremy Farrell,” McLain mentioned. “There are a bunch of men, guidelines about how typically guys should play and I used to be a very late add to the staff. It was a dialog of, ‘In order for you extra at-bats, you might need to attempt different positions.’ I used to be like, ‘Yeah, after all. I simply need to play.’”
And that’s how McLain began in middle subject for Glendale throughout their 11-7 loss at Salt River on Tuesday afternoon.
It’s not that he’s by no means performed the place, however it has been some time: He served as UCLA’s middle fielder commonly again in 2019, his freshman 12 months with the Bruins. After a whole lot of video games on the filth since, principally at shortstop, the remainder at second — the place his first 5 AFL begins got here — it will need to have been simple to re-acclimate, identical to using a motorbike.
“No, it’s not,” McLain mentioned. “It’s powerful, it’s a special problem for certain. It’s just a little bit slower tempo, so you need to be extra locked in.”
There’s a sure likelihood a participant is making with a transfer like this, particularly one who’s getting back from a severe shoulder harm. Reps are necessary, however being in an uncomfortable and unfamiliar place defensively may make harm extra probably.
“There’s positively a threat there, however that’s part of the sport,” McLain mentioned. “There’s threat all over the place; irrespective of the place I used to be going to play, there was going to be threat. At this level, it’s simply in regards to the at-bats, getting again in rhythm with the at-bats. To get within the lineup is an effective factor for me proper now.”
McLain experiences being 100% — “I lastly really feel regular.” He hopes to make use of the rest of his time right here to maintain getting his timing again and rediscover the routine that made him appear to be a giant league common a 12 months in the past. It’s solely been 19 at-bats over six video games, however he’s picked up six hits (.316/.500/.737) and 4 of them have been for extra-bases.
“I’m lastly feeling the movement with the sport just a little bit and making an attempt to construct up my workload day-to-day in order that on the finish of it I can say I used to be able to go daily, have just a little little bit of an offseason, get proper again into it, able to go for spring,” he mentioned.
A kind of extra-base hits got here on Tuesday, a Statcast projected 431 foot shot to straightaway middle that landed within the cactus above the batter’s eye at Salt River Subject. McLain displayed his customary humility in regards to the blast that was over 102 mph off his bat.
“He threw me two sliders,” McLain mentioned about D-backs No. 16 prospect Dylan Ray. “I ought to’ve hit them. Took them after which … took a few good pitches, acquired a fastball up within the zone, and the wind helped me out.”
Whereas McLain is keen to play wherever on the sphere within the huge leagues, he is aware of he’s not prone to get plenty of time in middle at Nice American Ball Park in 2025. However he’s thrilled to do it right here as a lot as potential so he will be prepared to assist Cincinnati subsequent season. And anybody who thought there is likely to be some huge league perspective in coming to play for Glendale clearly doesn’t know McLain very effectively.
“I’m simply excited,” McLain mentioned. “It was both right here or winter ball. I selected right here. I stay right here, trainers are right here, the Reds complicated is right here. Simply the prospect to get at-bats, I don’t care the place it’s, what stage, the truth that I’ve to come back again right here after being within the huge leagues, I don’t care. It’s simply baseball on the finish of the day and it’s simply enjoyable.”
