GOODYEAR, Ariz. — One of the most important pieces to the 2024 Reds has his sights set firmly on beginning the season on time.
Matt McLain told MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon Tuesday before a 14-1 Cactus League loss to the White Sox that he believes he’ll be ready for the season opener at Great American on March 28.
The middle infielder is coming off oblique soreness to start camp. But despite going 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his first two games, Sunday and Tuesday, McLain is confident he’s making progress in readying for Opening Day.
While McLain needs to see lots of pitches between now and March 28 at Great American, he doesn’t necessarily need to swing. That’s where live BP comes in.
“I just have to stand in on guys’ bullpens as much as I can, get in live at-bats as much as I can,” McLain told Sheldon on Tuesday. “I’ll try to simplify things. You don’t have as much time to necessarily work on your swing and stuff. It’s ramping straight into competitive mode. If I had been hitting the first two weeks, maybe I’d work on my swing a little bit more mechanically. I’ll just keep things simple and go compete.”
McLain underwent an MRI on Feb. 19 after he felt soreness in his right oblique. It was a right oblique strain that kept him out for the final month of 2023. This issue was not in the same exact spot while the MRI revealed the original injury had fully healed.
McLain needs to makes sure he doesn’t overexert in the final two weeks of camp and suffer a setback.
“That’s where standing in plays a big role,” McLain told Sheldon. “I did it (at UCLA) when I fractured my thumb near the end of my junior year. It was a quick turnaround, 10 days or two weeks. I didn’t hit at all before going into games. This is obviously not college but I was standing in on everyone. I think it’s a very valuable tool for hitters. Even doing it when I’m 100 percent healthy, I can see guys and see guys’ stuff. The more pitches you can see and recognize, the eyes are a huge part of hitting. It only helps.”
McLain has already shown top form defensively, fielding a grounder up the middle Tuesday, McLain went far to his right to field the ball and threw across his body to first base. The one-hopper was scooped by Jonathan India for the out.
Making his MLB debut last May 15, McLain is a crucial part of Cincinnati plans to contend for the postseason and more in 2024. He batted .290 with 16 home runs, 50 RBIs and 14 steals in 89 games while playing second base and shortstop.
“He wouldn’t be playing in the games if the oblique wasn’t behind him,” Reds manager David Bell said. “What he was feeling this time, it’s not entirely clear if it was exactly what it was. I get the concern but … we cleared him, he’s playing, he’s going for it as far as getting ready for the season. You can’t think about it. I am confident he will be ready to go.”
Newcomer Frankie Montas will get the starting nod for Opening Day against the Nationals on March 28 at Great American Ball Park, manager David Bell. This won’t be a first for Montas, who got the honor for Oakland in 2020 and 2022.
In a bit of surprise, it’s Montas (who signed a one-year, $16 million deal in the offseason) who beat out Hunter Greene, who will start the second game of the season on Saturday, March 30.
“It’s a tough decision,” Bell said. “Only one guy can pitch. Frankie’s done some things in his career. Just because of his experience and how much success he’s had. It’s a tough call. Obviously, Opening Day in Cincinnati is really important to all of our guys. That’s acknowledged, 100 percent. But game two will be just as important.”
The Reds signed Montas, who turns 31 next week, to a one-year deal in an effort to bring some veteran experience to a rotation that includes Greene and Graham Ashcraft in their third seasons and Andrew Abbott in his second.
“Frankie did a great job of coming in ready for camp,” Bell said. “He did stand out, with his level of preparation when he got here. He certainly was honored (for the assignment). He’s already become a big part of our team, and I think he also realizes he’s at a different part of his career and has a lot to offer our other (pitchers).”
Montas is 37-35 with a 3.90 ERA in 130 appearances, including 99 starts, in his eight big-league seasons. He finished sixth in the AL Cy Young voting in 2021 with the A’s and had a 3.18 ERA in 19 starts for Oakland in 2022, prior to a midseason trade to the Yankees.
Montas had shoulder issues that led to surgery and had a rough time with the Yankees, with a 6.15 ERA in nine appearances and 41 innings in 2022-23. He pitched in just one game and 1 1/3 innings in September last year after recovering from shoulder surgery.
As for Greene, he posted a 4.82 ERA and dealt with a hip injury that limited him to 22 starts in 2023.
“Hunter, as young as he is, may be out there on Opening Day many times,” Bell said.
Graham Ashcraft was the starting pitcher in Tuesday’s 14-1 loss to the White Sox. Making his third start of spring, he allowed five earned runs and seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts over four innings. In the third inning with one out, Luis Robert Jr. slugged a two-run home run — the first of his two in the game.
“I felt good,” Ashcraft told reporters. “Slider wasn’t really there. It was either staying arm side or it was going down in the dirt on the left side. I felt good with the cutter and sinker. I felt there were some pitches where I put it where I wanted to. Got two strikes quick and early but just wasn’t able to execute the off-speed pitch. If you don’t have that, it’s a little bit tougher.”
Assuming he is ready, he projects to be the third or fourth starter in the rotation behind Montas and Greene.
“It’s there. It’s just one of those days,” Ashcraft said of the slider. “The velo with it is still there. The shape of it is still there. I just didn’t have the feel for it.”
The Reds Wednesday reassigned RHP Connor Phillips and OF Bubba Thompson to minor league camp and optioned both to Triple-A Louisville. They also reassigned to minor league camp OF Conner Capel, IF Erik González and IF Mark Mathias.
This leaves 39 players remaining in Major League spring training camp.
Latest 26-man Opening Day roster projection for 2024:
C: Tyler Stephenson
1B: Christian Encarnacion-Strand
2B: Matt McLain
SS: Elly De La Cruz
3B: Jeimer Candelario
LF: Spencer Steer
CF: TJ Friedl
RF: Jake Fraley
DH: Jonathan India
C Luke Maile
INF Josh Harrison
OF Will Benson
OF Stuart Fairchild
RHP Hunter Greene
RHP Frankie Montas
RHP Graham Ashcraft
LHP Andrew Abbott
RHP Nick Martinez
LHP Sam Moll
RHP Lucas Sims
RHP Buck Farmer
RHP Alexis Diaz
RHP Emilio Pagan
RHP Fernando Cruz
LHP Brent Suter
RHP Tejay Antone
LHP Nick Lodolo
RHP Ian Gibaut
INF Noelvi Marte
OF Tony Kemp
RHP Carson Spiers Triple-A Louisville
LHP Brandon Williamson
INF Edwin Arroyo Minor League Camp
RHP Rhett Lowder Minor League Camp
RHP Chase Petty Minor League Camp
LHP Justin Bruihl Triple-A Louisville
LHP Alex Young
RHP Casey Legumina Triple-A Louisville
OF Rece Hinds Triple-A Louisville
LHP Reiver Sanmartin Minor League Camp
INF/OF Nick Martini
