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Cincinnati Reds Provide Injury Recovery Timeline On Top Rookie as Playoff Charge Mounts

As the Cincinnati Reds charge for a playoff spot in the National League, manager David Bell has provided an injury update on National League Rookie of the Year candidate Matt McLain.

Brady Farkas

Cincinnati Reds Provide Injury Recovery Timeline On Top Rookie as Playoff Charge Mounts
Cincinnati Reds Provide Injury Recovery Timeline On Top Rookie as Playoff Charge Mounts /
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The Cincinnati Reds enter play on Friday at 79-74 and 0.5 games back of the third and final playoff spot in the National League. They trail both the Chicago Cubs and Miami Marlins for that spot, who are tied.

As they battle for their first playoff spot since the COVID 2020 year, the Reds have some positive news brewing on the injury front with regards to shortstop Matt McLain.

Per Charlie Goldsmith, who covers the Reds:

David Bell said Matt McLain remains on track to return on Tuesday.

Seeing as how McLain is a Rookie of the Year candidate, that's great news for the Reds as they mount their final push.

Of course, no one knows just how he'll respond to being thrust back into the fold. The Reds need him to instantly be himself, but it could take him time to get going again - time the team doesn't have.

The 24-year-old former first-round pick is hitting .290 this year with 16 home runs, 50 RBI and 14 stolen bases. He's posted a .357 on-base percentage and is one of many Reds' rookies to debut this year, including Elly De La Cruz, Andrew Abbott, Brandon Williamson, Spencer Steer and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

The Reds will look for a critical victory on Friday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. First pitch is scheduled at 6:40 p.m. ET as Abbott gets the ball for the Reds.

For scoreboard watching purposes, the Cubs are taking on the Colorado Rockies while the Marlins are battling the Brewers.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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