(Updated with postgame quotes): The decision the Reds made and didn't make on Monday
Losing Elly De La Cruz for any amount of time — two-to-four weeks is the early soft estimate of a timeline — pulls the rug out from under the Reds. Everything is different without him, so Day 1 without him presented the Reds with some decisions to make.
The most interesting one wasn’t just that they called up Edwin Arroyo. It’s that the Reds called him up, and they’re going to continue to have him develop his versatility and play second and third base as well as shortstop at the MLB level.
Arroyo could have been a one-for-one swap with De La Cruz and held down the fort at shortstop until the Reds’ All-Star returns.
The easiest decision would have been keeping Arroyo where he’s most comfortable (shortstop) and Matt McLain where he’s more comfortable (second). Instead, they prioritized continuing to get Arroyo the necessary reps to be able to play multiple spots.
The Reds have determined that Arroyo is an option at second base (as well as shortstop and third base) right now. That means he’s an option at second when De La Cruz is back.
That opens up a type of competition between Arroyo and McLain.
Does McLain view this as a competition?
“It always is,” McLain said. “We’re teammates. We’re out there playing up the middle together. I’m looking forward to turning more double plays together.”
On Monday, Arroyo was at second base, a position where he’s far less experienced. McLain, who was a shortstop until De La Cruz took that position full-time in 2024, was at shortstop in the 9-2 loss to the Royals.
McLain says he gets back into a rhythm at shortstop pretty naturally.
“I always take ground balls there and try to get in there at least once a series,” McLain said. “If you play shortstop, you can play anywhere. It makes me better at second base when you take ground balls at short, so I’ve been taking ground balls there all year.”
The Reds have a few options on a day-to-day basis. They could go with McLain at short and Arroyo at second, Arroyo at short and McLain at second or Spencer Steer at second with McLain or Arroyo at short.
The results will tell the story of what needs to happen next. Terry Francona says that he doesn’t quite know how it’s going to go between second base and shortstop going forward until De La Cruz is back. McLain said that there hasn’t been communication with him yet about how much he’s going to play at shortstop versus second base.
At least for now, with Arroyo now definitively an option to play second base in the big leagues, there are new questions about how the Reds’ middle infield will be constructed for the remainder of the season.
Competition is always a good thing. There’s a chance that Arroyo’s presence brings out the best in McLain and that McLain gets going with his back against the wall (that happened early last September and worked in McLain’s favor). There’s a reason why the Reds have given McLain so many chances, and his power and value on the bases bring so much potential to the table.
Also, continuing to develop Arroyo’s versatility and having him play all of second base (32 minor league appearances), shortstop (378 minor league appearances) and third base (four minor league appearances) would help him in the world where McLain sticks as the Reds’ second baseman. If Arroyo can play both shortstop and third base (a very new position for him, but one where he’ll continue to work), then there’s the opportunity to keep Arroyo on the roster long-term as a super utility player.
Arroyo said he’s up for playing any position.
“I’m starting today at second, and that’s the opportunity right there,” Arroyo said. “I feel good playing anywhere. I played third for the first time in my career. I’m excited. It’s a good opportunity.”
If Arroyo looks like a starting second baseman — he’s getting a chance to show that he can be one — then it would be hard to take him off of that position when De La Cruz returns.
Postgame on Monday, McLain shouted out the sliding defensive highlight that Arroyo produced against the Royals.
“He’s a competitor, he’s a gamer,” McLain said. “He made that nice play in the hole. It’s not easy going that way with a righty up. Then, he got his first hit. It was really cool.”
McLain has something to prove after not producing much in the big leagues since the start of the 2025 season. And Arroyo has to prove that he can impact the ball enough to be an every day player.
The spotlight is on both McLain and Arroyo over the next few weeks. They’re the two most-interesting Reds right now.
The Reds made one more decision on Monday: They didn’t call up Noelvi Marte.
There’s a lot to like about Arroyo, but there’s a reason why the Reds didn’t plop him right into the top-half of the lineup like they did with McLain in 2023 and with De La Cruz in 2023. Arroyo’s biggest strength is his glove. He’s probably not going to replace De La Cruz’s home run or RBI production.
It’ll be a team effort to replace De La Cruz’s offense. Several guys will have to step forward offensively. The unit needs to tap into some more upside.
Marte, who’s raking down in Triple-A, has upside. He’s not in the big leagues right now because of concerns about his approach at the plate that reared their ugly head in April. But De La Cruz’s injury provided a runway to potentially give him another shot.
You could have called up both Arroyo and Marte and found a way to get both of them in the lineup on a regular basis. Arroyo would replace De La Cruz’s glove, and Marte would be a swing to help replace his bat. Marte would at least have a shot to do that to some extent — he was terrific in the big leagues last August and showed that he’s capable of carrying an offense if his swing is in a good spot.
Clearly, Marte still has more to work on.
Since Marte wasn’t called up, the roster math doesn’t change much with Arroyo active instead of De La Cruz. You can still get a spot start vs. a RHP for TJ Friedl or Will Benson if you feel like it’s a good matchup for one of them — it’ll be notable to see who sits on those days among Arroyo, McLain and Blake Dunn.
The bench is still three backup outfielders (Friedl, Benson, Dane Myers) and the “backup infielder” is right fielder Spencer Steer. Aside from Myers’ presence as a right-handed platoon bat and defensive replacement, the bench isn’t very usable right now.
More news and notes from Monday at GABP
Some current Reds saw first-hand the breakout first-half of the season from Arroyo in Triple-A. A few of them offered their scouting reports of Arroyo on Monday.
Blake Dunn: “A lot of people knew of him with his defensive stuff. He definitely made a good impression this year with the bat. It felt like every game, he was putting together good at-bats. You’d look at the scoreboard, and he’d have three hits and a few barrels. He was doing a lot of different things really well.”
“He’s a good kid. He works hard. I like his work ethic. He’s funny. He knows how to have a good time with the guys. He’s a hard worker who loves baseball.”
Zach Maxwell: “He plays with a lot of passion. He’s always smiling. You may be coming to the dugout, coming off a bad inning. He’s the first guy in the dugout there to pick you up. He hits a homer or a big double, and he points to the bullpen. It’s fun.”
Tejay Antone: “It’s his speed, skill defensively and his bat more recently. I saw him in Double-A last year when I played there. He looks really confident in the box. As a pitcher, you don’t love seeing that. It’s hard to get those guys out. He looks really confident right now. If he just stays within himself and keeps doing what he does best — great defensively, speed kills on the bases, bat to ball skills — he’s going to do really well up here.”
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The next step for De La Cruz is a re-scan on his hamstring. That’s expected to take place in about two weeks, but the timeline on that could change slightly.
“We’re keeping a leash on him and not letting him hurt himself,” Terry Francona said. “If in 10 days he feels like he can sprint, they’ll probably scan him to see how he’s doing.”
De La Cruz recognizes the importance of making sure he’s 100%.
“I want to play every day,” De La Cruz said via interpreter Tomás Vera. “We’re going to be smart. We’ve got to take the time to let it heal 100%.”
He said this is a much different situation than the quad injury he dealt with in 2025.
“Last year’s injury was something where I knew I could play,” De La Cruz said. “I did play. It’s not the same. This one, I can’t run. They’re two separate things.”
Unless a number of guys turn their seasons around--and we all know who those guys are, both at the plate or on the mound--then the Reds are toast in 2026. >.500 will be an achievement.
I just don't see it although I think the Reds have a number of entertaining players to follow. the team as a whole just isn't that good, and certainly not good enough given the injuries to the particular players so far.
One exception might be Eugenio getting Red-hot.
“There’s a reason why the Reds have given McLain so many chances, and his power and value on the bases bring so much potential to the table.”
What’s the reason? Does “potential” get you to the playoffs or win a playoff series? Where is the potential? In 2023? Does somebody have a Time Machine? The Matt McLain apologetics from the front office, from the field management, and from the media is compromising our team.
Matt McLain is not an MLB hitter. There is 1 1/2 full seasons of data to back up this assertion. Maybe he will be someday, but the data we have so far doesn’t suggest it. There is a part of one season, 2023, when teams were learning how to pitch a talented rookie, to suggest McLain has “potential.” There is Spring Training 2026, when he scorched 2-A and 3-A pitchers. But that’s all. There’s no sustained demonstration of ability when facing MLB pitching.
The Reds are stuck with McLain until Elly gets back. But he’s not a good player. He’s a great defender, and a good baserunner, but he is not a good player overall. The sooner everyone comes to terms with McLain being a swing and a miss (like he demonstrates at almost every single at bat), the sooner we can move on and get a more complete player in his place.
And I would love nothing more than to be wrong about all of this….