Matt McLain's Hot Spring Training
Reds' Matt McLain is tearing it up in spring training, hitting .607 with five home runs and a 1.846 OPS [https://razzball.com/2026-mlb-risers-and-fallers-late-spring-training-edition/]. He's making a major comeback after missing 2024 with an injury.
McLain's impressive spring follows a disappointing 2025 season where he hit just .220 with a .643 OPS. This came after a promising rookie year in 2023, where he slashed .290/.357/.507 with 16 homers and 14 steals in 89 games. His struggles in 2025 can be attributed to lingering effects from the shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the entire 2024 season. The surgery was performed in March 2024 to repair cartilage damage and a labrum tear in his left shoulder after an injury during spring training. McLain spent the recent offseason focusing on hitting low-and-away breaking balls and is using a slightly longer bat. So far this spring, he's also significantly reduced his strikeout rate, signaling a potential return to his 2023 form.
