Mark

@LanceMcAlister 100% agree. McClain is Senzel recreated. Nice guy, easy to root for. Just maybe not talented enough

After a disaster of a 2025 season, the hope for Matt McLain was that being another year removed from his 2024 shoulder surgery he'd be better this season. Here's the sad and alarming reality: He's shown a decline across the board in offensive production. Year-BA-OBP-SLG-OPS-OSP+ 2025 .220-.300-.343-.643, 75 2026: .198-.296-.326-.622, 73 Yes, his strikeout rate has dipped, while his walk rate has slightly ticked up. And he's been among one of the most selective hitters in MLB this season. The problem is, he's doing little with the strikes he's swinging at. He's seen a dip from 2025, in exit velocity, hard hit rate and barrel rate. After Monday, he has dropped to .198 for the season. He's hit .184 over his last 39 games. He's been wildly inconsistent. He's currently in an 0 for 19 rut. Prior to that, he was 13 for 41. But prior to that, he was 0 for 17. Combined, that's .169 over his last 23 games. There is no question he's playing stellar defense. He takes an 85 game errorless streak into tonight's game. That's the third longest by a Cincinnati Reds 2B since 1900. But that doesn't make him an everyday player. That makes him, at best, a late inning defensive replacement, and pinch-runner. We are a long way from the Matt McLain that got 2023 Rookie of the Year votes. Something has to give.....I see three options: 1. Reduce his role to coming off the bench, with a combo of Sal Stewart and Spencer Steer splitting time at 2nd. 2. Call up Edwin Arroyo and insert him into the everyday lineup, with McLain going back to Louisville with the hope of creating production and confidence. After watching him this season, Jim Kelch (Bats Radio) told me he thinks Arroyo is more comfortable at 2B, than SS. 3. Send Will Benson or T.J. Friedl down, to get regular at-bats at Louisville. Both have clearly fallen to the end of the roster. Call up Arroyo and platoon him with McLain. McLain has been better vs LHP in his career. The switch-hitting Arroyo is hitting .342 vs RHP and .260 vs LHP. What can't happen, is the status quo. It's not working, or helping.....anyone.

@Super70sSports And killer bees. We were all convinced as kids it was just a matter of time

What was with our society’s obsession with quicksand when we were kids? At the time I genuinely believed it was one of the world’s leading causes of death. Every birthday marked another 365 days of somehow avoiding quicksand,

@Nati_Sports McClain is the new Nick senzel. We will be talking about his potential still in 2028

I really don’t think it’d hurt Matt McLain to get optioned to get his swing figured out Genuinely he’s not the type of guy to throw a fit about it either… he knows he needs to work on shit He isn’t even at 40% of his potential right now

@mitchjackson @JaxsonDart @Giants You really need to work on your douche-ness

@KalshiFB Steve Kreider

Name a wide receiver only true fans of your favorite team would remember.

@nut_history The Cobra. That’s your only shot

Alright. Rickey Henderson is at third base. One out. Tie game. Bottom of the 9th. You’re the fielding team. DEEP fly ball to right field. Who do you want as your right fielder?

@WarPigsChief The real restaurants no longer participate. 15-20 years ago it was a different vibe entirely. Now it’s food trucks and unknown establishments

Hot take — the Taste of Cincinnati is massively overrated.

@BenStiller My God you are a douche

This was so emotional. Thank you Stephen Colbert. Thank you Paul McCartney. Thank you Ed Sullivan Theater. 💙

@SaraElyse128 10

@MoEgger Mo, I’m willing to die on this hill alongside you. Amazing take on this bizarre situation that only happens in small market environments

He's been pinch-hit for in 8 of the 32 games he's started. Last week in Chicago they had him try to bunt in a quintessential "don't bunt" situation, with a runner on 2nd and no outs in the top of the tenth inning when the correct strategy is to play for multiple runs. He's batted 9th in 31 of the 32 games he's started. The way Tito has handled Ke'Bryan Hayes all season has been a continual acknowledgement that he is a bad Major League hitter. So the only reason to not pinch hit for Hayes in the fourth inning tonight was to not cause him embarrassment. No manager wants to humiliate any one of his players, and I'll admit that there are often arguments to be made about showing some confidence to a struggling player, but had they lifted Ke'Bryan in the fourth tonight, such a move wouldn't have been too dramatic a departure from how Francona has managed Hayes all season. And in a game that seemed like it was going to require lots and lots of runs in order to win and the potential for a big inning in the offing, that didn't seem like the moment to not pinch hit for Hayes because his feelings might get hurt.

@SaraElyse128 Those freakin biscuits my God

@LanceMcAlister @autyelmore It’s a talent issue. McClain just is not a MLB player. He looks the part but doesn’t have the skills

A fan poll today would probably target some grouping of Hayes, McLain, Benson, Stephenson, , Friedl, Trevino, Myers, etc to be replaced... And yet....those same fans conclude the answer is firing the hitting coach. Sure, the 7th hitting coach since 2013 will certainly fix the scouting, drafting, developing, trading, free agent signing and general identifying of talent mess of Nick Krall and this organization. #Reds

@Roger774501171 Davey Concepcion

Without naming Bonds , Clemens or Pete Rose, as they should be in Cooperstown. Name me a name who needs to be in Cooperstown ,and was overlooked. I’ll start Lou Whitaker .

@Nati_Sports He’s just not a good player. He is the same now for 2+ years. He had a good half season in 2023. Nothing since

I'm not sure if he'll ever be fixed tbh I'm ready to throw the towel in now.

Bases juiced for Matt McLain

@Nati_Sports He is not a MLB caliber player now for 2 + seasons

It makes me sad that Matt McLain simply hasn't lived up to the expectations I had for him This is why I just shit on players on here, usually... goes the other way

@Nati_Sports McClain just is not a major league player.

yea no shit. That's why I kept saying it was unsustainable. The Reds have 4-5 AAAA players playing regularly.

@ThrillaRilla369 Anyone that “leans in” to anything should be launched from this planet

An overused word or phrase that needs to be retired in 2026

@VinnysCorner1 Bo Jackson is #1 and it’s not particularly close

The Top Ten Athletes of All-Time: 1. Michael Jordan 2. Tom Brady 3. Tiger Woods 4. Shohei Ohtani 5. Michael Phelps 6. Usain Bolt 7. Muhammad Ali 8. Wayne Gretzky 9. Deion Sanders 10. Cristiano Ronaldo Do you agree with this list or na??

@vancemeek McClain simply isn’t a major leaguer. It’s been two years now. This is who he is

Matt McLain is the worst No 2 hitter in the league.

@Nati_Sports EDLC is the most overrated player in MLB . Hate to say it but you all know it’s true.

The #Reds genuinely have some of the most mid position players that there is. Guys playing all out of place, and guys that aren't even hitting. Man oh man.