Reds lineup is stuck with Matt McLain and Austin Hays’ injury is to blame

Matt McLain has been given an extremely long leash so far this season. The Cincinnati Reds second baseman broke out in a big way during the first week of his 2025 campaign, but after a brief stint on the IL, McLain has been absolutely atrocious at the plate. If it weren't for Austin Hays' most recent injury, there's a good chance that McLain would be finding a seat on the Reds' bench, or at the very least, moved down in the batting order.

Hays is on the IL for a second time this season. A calf injury sidelined the Reds' newcomer at the outset of the 2025 season, and Hays has since landed on the IL again; this time with a strained hamstring.

But if Hays were healthy and producing like he had before his injury, Reds manager Terry Francona would have no choice but to swap out McLain for Santiago Espinal or Gavin Lux, or bump the former first-rounder down in the batting order. As it is, both Espinal and Lux are filling in for Hays in the outfield, though both players are much better suited to play second base.

Austin Hays’ injury is the only excuse keeping Matt McLain in the Reds lineup

Since returning from the IL, McLain is hitting an inexcusable .136/.269/.182 with a 34wRC+. If McLain's last name was Fraley or Benson, he'd be riding the pine right now or battling through his slump at Triple-A. But as a former first-round pick and player who's proven he can hit at the major league level, McLain has received the benefit of the doubt (so far).

While McLain is scuffling at the dish, the duo of Espinal and Lux are thriving. Espinal has forced his way into the Reds starting lineup and is hitting .484/.543/.581 with a 213 wRC+ going back to the Reds' series in Baltimore. During that same timeframe, Lux is hitting .341/.442/.545 with a 170 wRC+. If you were curious about McLain's line, he's hitting .136/.239/.186 with a 22 wRC+. Ouch!

Players go through slumps, and Francona has been very complimentary of his infielder during this extended period of futility. "He’s just going through a little bit of a tough time...You can tell he’s not entirely comfortable," Francona said. "He has to fight through it. He knows that. He will."

Perhaps he could fight through this slump in the No. 7 or No. 8 hole, you know? McLain has been hitting second behind the Reds' leadoff batter all season. The Reds' No. 2 spot in the lineup is the worst in the league with a .187/.310/.261 slash line and a .571 OPS.

Allowing McLain to play through this slump and figure things out is the appropriate strategy, but Francona needs to push him down in the lineup. Spencer Steer dealt with a similar issue earlier this season, and after hitting seventh for most of the season, the Reds first baseman has been steadily moved up the batting order. It's time for McLain to receive the same treatment.

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