Reds manager Terry Francona hopes history repeats itself in Matt McLain’s comeback

Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona has heard this one before. An undersized second baseman, shouldering the burden of franchise hopes, starts off the season slowly. Fans begin to despair, but Francona, seemingly the most loyal and patient manager in baseball, sticks with his guy. In 2007, Dustin Pedroia rewarded Francona’s faith with a massive turnaround on his way to the Rookie of the Year Award. The Reds and Francona need Matt McLain to follow the same script.

Over his first 52 career games (between 2006 and 2007), Pedroia hit .184/.243/.272. Boston Red Sox fans clamored for Pedroia to be sent down and for Alex Cora to take over the starting job, but Francona held firm.

Pedroia, of course, broke out in a big way, hitting .335/.392/.470 the rest of the way. The respect and confidence that Francona showed built a bond between player and manager that exists to this day.

If anyone can guide Reds infielder Matt McLain out of his slump, it’s Terry Francona

Now, Francona needs to work similar magic on McLain. Through 59 games, the Reds’ second baseman has posted eerily similar numbers to Pedroia: .184/.283/.309. He’s striking out far more than the Red Sox legend did in 2007, but that can be expected in today’s power-based game. And just as Pedroia did after 50 or so games, McLain is starting to turn it around. In the past eight games, he has hit .250/.379/.417.

Francona has had faith in McLain all along. He’s praised the second baseman’s even keel and ball-playing ability, predicting a breakout is long overdue. Even on McLain’s worst batting days, his glove has kept him in the lineup and reinforced Francona’s optimism.

While McLain has made strides toward a breakthrough, he still needs to rectify several aspects of his game if he wants to follow in Pedroia’s footsteps. His strikeout rate remains among the worst in the majors, and he isn’t barrelling the ball like he did as a rookie. His expected stats reveal a bit of bad luck at play, but McLain’s high whiff rate isn’t a recipe for success regardless of luck.

However, if the Reds' infielder baseman heats up this summer, Francona’s faith in him could earn McLain’s trust. With the manager under contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028, that relationship has years to grow and develop. A little loyalty here, and a return to form by McLain, could be the first step toward cementing McLain as the Reds’ second baseman of the future.

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