Matt McLain rejected Reds' contract extension, but fans shouldn't panic (yet)

Most logical Reds fans know that Elly De La Cruz will eventually flee Cincinnati once he reaches free agency after the 2029 season. De La Cruz is a superstar who'll command a massive salary, and his agent —Scott Boras — prefers to let the open market dictate how much money his clients are worth rather than negotiate with just one organization.

But Matt McLain's situation is a little different. Having dumped Boras this past offseason, the Cincinnati Reds may have a negotiating window with their star second baseman. However, that window is currently closed.

McLain said that the Reds reached out over the winter with the framework for a new deal, but the numbers didn't add up. This is in line with previous comments McLain made last year when he suggested that the idea of a contract extension didn't make sense at this time. He's right, it doesn't.

Matt McLain's injury history makes him a risky bet for the Reds

Friday night was a perfect example of why the Reds should be cautious. McLain, who's been one of the few standouts for the Reds during the early-going, was scratched from the lineup due to hamstring tightness. The Reds' infielder is expected to return for Saturday's game against the Milwaukee Brewers, but this is yet another ailment in a long line of injuries that have plagued McLain throughout his career.

While McLain's potential is through the roof, he's played in just 97 games over two-plus seasons. Many Reds fans remember that McLain was sidelined for the entire 2024 season following shoulder surgery, but forget that he ended his rookie year on the IL with an oblique strain.

Signing an injury-prone player to a multi-million contract extension is risky business. While it could offer the Reds an opportunity to secure an All-Star caliber player on a relatively cheap contract, what good is it if these injury concerns continue to mount over the course of his career?

The Reds have a large window to continue negotiations with Matt McLain

McLain has said that he's open to an extension, but the numbers have to make sense for both sides. It's quite likely that Cincinnati's initial offer — which factored in his injury history — was considerably less than what McLain would've received if he was healthy throughout the 2024 season.

It's in McLain's best interest to prove that he can remain healthy for an entire season, put up the type of numbers that everyone knows he's capable of, and then return to the negotiating table with an improved résumé. In short, McLain rejected the Reds' initial offer because he's betting on himself.

The Reds' second baseman is under team-control through the 2029 season, meaning that Cincinnati has another four years to get a long-term deal done. Yes, the price tag could go up, but that's the way baseball economics work.

There are, however, more pressing contract situations Cincinnati may want to focus on. Tyler Stephenson will reach free agency after the 2026 season, and Nick Lodolo has just two more years of team control remaining after 2025. If McLain wants to stay in Cincy, the potential is there for a deal to be struck, but not right now.

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