Manager David Bell indicated this weekend that McLain, who underwent shoulder surgery in late March, should be ready to start swinging a bat soon, Charlie Goldsmith of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports. "He's pretty close," Bell said. When he starts swinging, there will be a step-by-step progression from dry swinging to tee work to soft toss, etc. "It's a very well-thought out progression that he'll have to take his time with."
Bell alluded to McLain being ready for action at some point in August but also noted it's a long process between now and then. The 2021 first-rounder hit 16 home runs with an .864 OPS in his rookie season last year over 403 plate appearances, so his return could potentially give the Reds, a team that ranks just 21st in OPS, some extra pop down the stretch.
