This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
CINCINNATI -- Mired in an offensive slump for most of the season's early stretch, Reds second baseman Matt McLain was given room to work through it. Manager Terry Francona only dropped McLain in the lineup from the second spot to eighth or ninth, nothing more drastic.
That patience could be paying off as McLain's long-awaited climb from a deep hole appears to finally be happening.
“I think it’s a good feeling as a player knowing that one, you can help the team in other ways; and two, that’s it’s seen," McLain said.
For Francona, sticking with McLain -- as opposed to benching him or sending him to the Minors -- was an easy decision.
“I think he’s a good player," Francona said. "He was playing the rest of the game, always, defensively, running the bases. He wasn’t throwing [stuff] in the dugout and panicking. He handled it. He didn’t look any different when he’s getting a hit or when he doesn’t. And I mean that as a good thing.”
In his last 14 games since June 6, McLain has gone 16-for-46 (.348) with two home runs and seven RBIs, including a nine-game hitting streak. He has raised his slash line from .175/.270/.296 to .209/.302/.340 in 67 games overall entering Sunday's series finale at St. Louis.
Throughout the season, McLain has played strong defensively. His +4 outs above average (OAA) and 3 runs prevented have him ranked sixth among MLB second basemen.
"He just plays the game the right way," infielder/outfielder Gavin Lux said.
On June 7 vs. the Diamondbacks, the right-handed-hitting McLain perfectly executed a push bunt to first base for a single that loaded the bases. Two batters later, Lux hit a grand slam in the 13-1 win. The following game, McLain hit the go-ahead two-run homer to left field in the seventh inning -- his first long ball since May 15 -- for a 4-2 win that completed a three-game series sweep.
“Little things like that can get you going -- lucky hits, bunt singles, a homer. Anything. You’re looking for anything as a spark," McLain said.
On June 14, during an 11-1 win over the Tigers, McLain added a three-run homer to left field. The next day, in an 8-4 win at Detroit, he had two singles and scored twice. Another RBI single -- a roller into right field -- came in the second inning on Wednesday in a rain-shortened 4-2 win over the Twins.
“Early on, he’s had some really [bad] luck with hitting," Lux said. "He’s hit a lot of balls hard that just haven’t found holes. It’s like, ‘Man, you’re right there, dude.’ For him to hit a homer … and shoot one the other way [on June 15] against a guy with a really good heater to kind of get us going. He’s having great at-bats."
It was May 13 when Francona had already moved McLain down in the order. He didn't expect an approach change but felt it could take some of the pressure off by not batting him second.
“There’s a difference in that you’re going to come up one more time, and when you’re not hitting, there’s a little more glare on getting that other at-bat," Francona said. "He was striking out more than he probably was used to. So dropping him down, that helped not just him but us. You’re always trying to do both.”
Francona has had past experience sticking with a second baseman struggling at the plate. In 2007, during his first-full big league season for the Red Sox, Dustin Pedroia rolled into May 1 batting .172. On June 1, Pedroia was batting .323, on his way to becoming the American League Rookie of the Year.
“Kind of like Mac, [Pedroia] played the game," Francona said. "You didn’t see him slamming helmets. He made the plays defensively. When they’re doing that, there’s probably more rope given because you can tell they’re not panicking.”
McLain made some slick plays in the field in Wednesday's win against Minnesota. To end the top of the third inning, he ranged far to make a catch by the tarp roll in foul territory. On a one-out grounder in the fifth, he went to the middle of the field and threw across his body to first base for the out.
Those unheralded plays draw the appreciation of Reds pitchers.
"He shows up every single day ready to play," starting pitcher Nick Lodolo said. "That’s no secret, he didn’t have a hot start and he still keeps showing up every day to play. It’s picking up for him.”