ATLANTA -- Each Mother's Day going forward, Reds second baseman Matt McLain will have a tough time topping the one his mother, Wendi, enjoyed in 2023. "It was super cool, and obviously, we’ll both remember it forever," McLain said. That was the day McLain found out he was going to the big leagues with Cincinnati. With Triple-A Louisville at the time, the first call he made was to his mother. Wendi McLain and the family were watching his brother, Nick, play baseball for Arizona State. “It was on Mother’s Day. It was just so special," the 25-year-old McLain recounted. "She was at my brother’s game. They had just gotten swept, and they were all hanging out by the bus, I remember she told me. I called her, and she started screaming. "Everyone’s like, ‘What are you screaming at?’ She’s around by the team bus, they just got swept and she started crying and whatever. I called her before my dad. She told my dad and goes, ‘Oh my God; I’ll call you right back.’” Wendi, Mike McLain and the whole family were on hand at Coors Field when their son debuted for the Reds on May 15, 2023, vs. the Rockies. McLain went 1-for-4 with a double and two runs scored in the 9-8 loss. |
Since that day, both of McLain's brothers have made their way into professional baseball. Sean, 24, is an infielder who was taken in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB Draft. He’s in the Dodgers’ organization at the Double-A level. Nick, 22, is an outfielder in the White Sox system after being their third-round Draft pick in 2024. McLain, a first-round pick by the Reds in 2021, appreciated Wendi for being a dedicated baseball mom -- and his father as well -- for making sure he and his brothers got to all their youth and Little League games -- including for select and travel ball teams -- while they grew up in Tustin, Calif. “Traveling all over, helping us out, doing everything for us really," McLain said. "I think that’s the biggest thing people don’t realize. They give up their weekends for us to go drive an hour, play two games in the day at like 12 years old, which is kind of crazy. But it’s awesome.” |
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MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
LOWDER, MILEY ON THEIR WAY ... EVENTUALLY |
Even though the Reds appeared to have great pitching depth going into Spring Training, manager Terry Francona never felt too comfortable about it. Now we know why, with Hunter Greene (right groin strain), Carson Spiers (right shoulder impingement) and No. 2 prospect Rhett Lowder (right elbow discomfort) among the club's players on the injured list. “You never have too much," Francona said before Wednesday's game, during which Greene was injured while warming up for the fourth inning vs. the Braves. The good news is that two reinforcements are coming soon. Lowder and Wade Miley are both on their rehab assignments. Miley, a 14-year veteran and former Red who was signed to a Minor League contract on Feb. 4, is working his way back from 2024 Tommy John surgery while with the Brewers. |
Miley pitched on Saturday for High-A Dayton in his first start since a groin injury setback late last month. He allowed three earned runs on three hits (two home runs), struck out six and walked none in 2 2/3 innings for the Dragons. Lowder, who pitched three innings for the ACL Reds on Tuesday for his first rehab start, is slated to start for Dayton on Sunday. "They’re not in the next couple of weeks, for sure. But it is nice to see them coming, and for different reasons," Francona said. "Lowder is a good young kid that we love. And Miley is that veteran you love having around. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed him this spring. I’d never been around him before, and I’d heard all the stories. He kind of eclipsed that.” Where might both pitchers fit in the Reds' rotation? That remains to be seen. |
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HINDS LEARNED FROM ROOKIE EXPERIENCE |
When the Reds recalled outfielder Rece Hinds from Louisville on Wednesday, it marked his return to the big leagues after he experienced extreme ups and downs as a rookie hitter for the club last season. Hinds hit five home runs and batted .500 through his first six big league games to capture National League Player of the Week honors. But for his remaining time with Cincinnati over two callups in 2024, he batted .042 (1-for-24) in 18 games. “I think the biggest thing I learned was just to be present," said Hinds, who hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the ninth inning Thursday vs. the Braves. "Be there every single day, enjoy it and have fun. I think that week, obviously, was a crazy week for me. I didn’t really take in every day and be present every day. I think that getting this callup again, my main focus is just being consistent and being present every single day, enjoying it and having fun.” |
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