Matt McLain is heading to the injured list, and the Cincinnati Reds made it official Friday by placing the infielder on the 10-day IL with a left calf strain, retroactive to July 8.
To fill the roster spot, the Reds reinstated third baseman Ke'Bryan Hayes from the 10-day IL after he missed nearly seven weeks with a lumbar bulging disc. Manager Terry Francona held McLain out of Thursday's series finale against the Philadelphia Phillies after describing his calf as "a little beat up," per Charlie Goldsmith of FOX 19 Cincinnati.
The retroactive date means McLain can return as early as July 18. That window puts him back on the roster right as the second half begins, limiting the window of his absence to the All-Star break itself.
McLain, 26, was the 17th overall pick by the Reds in the 2021 MLB Draft out of UCLA. He signed a one-year, $5.85 million contract with Cincinnati in January after missing all of 2024 with shoulder and rib injuries. He is batting .190 with eight home runs, 25 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 83 games, well below the .290 average he posted during his 2023 debut.
Hayes, 29, has been out since May 22 with a lower back issue and was batting .142 with two home runs and five RBIs in 44 games before the injury. He won a Gold Glove at third base in 2023 and was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30, 2025. He returns to reclaim his spot at the hot corner.
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The Reds are 42-50and fifth in the National League Central, 16.5 games behind the division leader. Cincinnati enters the break with a losing record and an offense that has underperformed for much of the season.
McLain's calf strain effectively ends his first half early. The Reds will need him healthy and productive in the second half if they hope to climb out of fifth place.
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