Reds broadcast all but confirmed what Terry Francona should already know about Matt McLain

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona slotted Matt McLain atop the batting order during Wednesday afternoon's series finale against the San Diego Padres, and it begs the question: Why?

Wednesday's game in San Diego marked the fifth time this season that McLain was designated as the Reds' leadoff hitter. He's just 4-for-24 (.166) with no extra-base hits and no walks when he's hitting first in the lineup, and went 1-for-5 with a single in the ninth inning during the series finale against the Padres.

During the television broadcast, Reds' color analyst Jeff Brantley — who's never afraid to speak his mind — gave an honest assessment of McLain's approach when he's in the leadoff spot.

Reds broadcaster Jeff Brantley pointed to Matt McLain's biggest problem

"Now I'll say this about watching Matt McLain today versus what we've seen here in the last two or three ball games," Brantley said. "Hitting in the No. 1 spot, for whatever reason, (he gets) jumpy. He's jumping at everything."

Brantley's observation was spot-on, and frankly, McLain's anxious approach when he's hitting in the leadoff spot is far from subtle. It's obvious. His numbers when batting leadoff in 2025 (.273/.333/.591 with a 148 wRC+) were impressive, but for whatever reason, that approach has not translated to his 2026 campaign.

"When he's hitting down in the lineup, he seems like he calms down a little bit, and his focus is a little more about letting the ball get deep and driving the ball right over the top of the second baseman," Brantley continued. "He's been out in front of everything today."

Brantley went on to discuss how some of the greatest players the game has ever seen are able to make adjustments — not just game to game — but pitch to pitch. That speaks to an even bigger problem that has plagued McLain throughout his career. He's wildly inconsistent.

What was most confounding about slotting McLain in the leadoff spot was the presence of Dane Myers in the Reds starting lineup. Francona gave Blake Dunn a well deserved game off, and most fans probably assumed that Myers would've been batting leadoff. He's led off 16 times this season and has an acceptable .238/.360/.476 slash line when hitting first in the lineup.

McLain has proven to be one of the most frustrating players on the Reds' roster this season. His blazing-hot start to spring training did not translate to the regular season, and on the year he's hitting just .209/.310/.368 with an 88 wRC+.

But Francona's decision to move McLain up in the batting order is equally frustrating. McLain has shown time and time again that he shrinks in big moments, and until he can show some level of consistency, he belongs in the bottom-third of the Reds' batting order.

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