Can the Reds offense be better than we think?
Matt McLain is putting together one of the best springs in recent memory, and Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona is taking notice.
The 26-year-old second baseman has been nothing short of dominant in Cactus League play, slashing .607/.667/1.179 with five home runs, 12 RBI, and a 1.846 OPS through 10 games.
Those numbers lead all of Major League Baseball in nearly every offensive category, and they have Francona cracking jokes about wanting even more from his lineup.
"Want him to have .600 instead of .500," Francona joked before Sunday's game when asked about McLain and the offense in general. "I mean, with the whole group, you want them feeling as good as they can about themselves."
McLain Is Making It Look Easy
It is not just the numbers that are turning heads in Arizona, it is the way McLain is getting the job done.
He has drawn five walks while striking out just twice, showing a level of plate discipline that was missing during a tough 2025 season where he hit just .220 with 167 strikeouts.
After one particular at-bat where McLain went down in the count and still drove a pitch out of the park, Francona could not hide his surprise.
"I can't believe that ball went out," Francona said. "That ball looked like he had to go down and away."
McLain missed all of 2024 recovering from left shoulder surgery and spent most of last year trying to find his footing at the plate.
Francona stuck with him through those struggles and never considered sending him down, even when fans called for it, and that patience appears to be paying off now.
Why the Reds Offense Could Surprise People
Cincinnati went 83-79 last season and squeaked into the playoffs as the final National League Wild Card team, but the offense was one of the weaker parts of the roster with a below-average 94 OPS+ that ranked 21st in baseball.
The Reds made some moves this offseason to change that, most notably bringing back Eugenio Suarez on a one-year deal after he crushed 49 home runs in 2025 between Arizona and Seattle.
Suarez slots into the cleanup spot behind Elly De La Cruz, and if McLain can hold down the two-hole and produce like he did during his rookie year in 2023 when he slashed .290/.357/.507, Cincinnati suddenly has a lineup that can do some real damage.
The Reds sit at 12-10 in spring training, and while those games do not count for anything, the energy around this team heading into Opening Day feels different.
A lot of that has to do with McLain looking like the player everyone believed he could be, and Francona smiling about it from the dugout.