Cincinnati Reds Players Make One Thing Perfectly Clear During Redsfest

Matt McLain received numerous affirmations from teammates during the weekend convention

Aug 30, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain (9) hits a solo home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Just because it’s the offseason that doesn't mean fans stop evaluating players. In fact, they may evaluate them more in the months of November, December, and January, and Cincinnati Reds fans are no different.

At Redsfest over the weekend, Reds players served up their assessment of a player that most fans are “out” on, and it was contrary to the popular opinion.

Matt McLain will be fine.

That’s the sentiment shared by any player that spoke words into a microphone over the weekend. Whether it was at the Season Ticket Member Q&A on Friday where both Sal Stewart and Jose Trevino brought up McLain multiple times, unprompted, or it was the many times on the main stage that McLain was mentioned by TJ Friedl, Spencer Steer, or a number of other regular players. They are all sold on McLain.

In fact, you could say there was a feeling of reverence they all have for him. As if you were to ask them who the leader of the team is and they would all join in unison and say “McLain.” 

There are some in Reds country who aren’t sold on McLain’s ability to make the roster, let alone complete a bounce back campaign in 2026. Absolutely none of those people are in the clubhouse at 100 Joe Nuxhall Way.

On a recent episode of the Locked On Reds podcast, Steve Offenbaker and myself set an arbitrary WAR total of three or four as a good sign that McLain is back. That should be the number to expect him to achieve to prove last year was a fluke.

If you ask his teammates, he’s already accomplished his “bounce back” and they believe in him far more than anyone else.

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