Matt McLain just confirmed what Reds fans already knew about his 2025 season

For the 2025 Cincinnati Reds, there might not have been any greater disappointment than Matt McLain's performance. After a breakout rookie campaign in 2023, anticipation was high for his much-awaited follow-up. Instead, fans were left searching for answers.

McLain didn't just take a step back; he looked like a completely different player at the plate. His .220/.300/.343 line hit like a cold plunge first thing in the morning. It left everyone searching for answers. Now, in the middle of a monster spring training, the 26-year-old believes he has an answer for the stark downturn.

“(The shoulder) actually felt 100 percent last year. Everyone told me that you have to give yourself two years," McLain said. "I didn’t want to believe it, but I kind of believe it now.”

It's a very logical explanation. When fans think of injuries affecting performance, they often think of players playing through pain. That's not always the case. It takes time to rebuild strength to the point where it was prior to the injury, even if everything is structurally sound.

More importantly, fans forget how these players are finely tuned machines. For them, it isn't as simple as picking up a bat and picking up where they left off. It takes a lot of work to get the routine back, knock off the rust, get the mechanics in line, and rebuild timing at the plate. It's what makes baseball so great and frustrating at the same.

Matt McLain's shoulder revelation could have him in line for an All-Star nod

First, a disclaimer: player development isn't linear. Just because McLain hit like one of the best second basemen in the league over 89 games in 2023, doesn't mean he'll be even better in 2026. It doesn't mean he'll even manage to repeat the same performance. On the flip side, it also means that he could skyrocket beyond fans' wildest imaginations.

What is clear, though, is that he'll likely put 2025's struggles behind him if the shoulder truly was the culprit for his putrid performance. At that point, it is important to consider what McLain brings to the table.

He's a plus-defender at second base, who also adds speed on the bases. His offensive profile is a balanced one, where he's proven that he can hit for both average and power. The two NL All-Star second basemen last year were Ketel Marte and Brendan Donovan. Marte is a superstar who put up a 145 wRC+. That's hard. But Donovan, who has since departed for the American League with the Seattle Mariners, posted a 119 mark and made the team based on his well-rounded game. McLain could do the same.

It's kind of crazy to think that this is a possibility for a player who ESPN left off their top-10 MLB second basemen list (and honorably mentions) just a few weeks ago, yet here we are. The swing is wild until you contextualize it with McLain's pre-shoulder injury track record and spring training showing.

More importantly, McLain's resurgence could solve an important Reds' lineup issue, providing a trickle-down effect that will supercharge the whole thing. That would be an even more important development than an All-Star selection, but we'll be greedy and hope for both.