Reds star Matt McLain shared starstruck memories from rookie MLB year in 2023 (Image Source: Getty)

Cincinnati Reds infielder Matt McLain couldn’t play a single game in the 2024 season due to shoulder surgery he underwent in March to repair his labrum and some damaged cartilage.

All he has so far are his rookie season memories, recalling the moment when he played against the famous Los Angeles Angels duo of Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout, leaving him starstruck.

During the Nov. 15 episode of “The Mayor’s Office with Sean Casey” podcast, shot earlier this year, the Reds star revealed his feelings while going up against two of the best in baseball during their time together with the Angels.

“I guess when I faced Ohtani and Trout, honestly, you try to put that on the back burner,” McLain said. “But before the game, you’re like, ‘Dang, I’m going to play against them today,’ and then after, ‘Dang, I played against them today.’

“But you try to throw that out during the game as much as possible. Still, it’s hard not to sometimes. Like Acuña, MVP, that was sick. Just guys like that, it’s like, ‘Wow, this is cool. I get the chance to prove myself against these guys,'” he added.

Matt McLain returns to Arizona Fall League to get back his hitting mojo

Matt McLain last faced a professional pitcher at the plate in September, following which he continued to remain sidelined due to injury and subsequently missed the entirety of the 2024 season.

To find his hitting mojo again, the Reds infielder is returning to the Arizona Fall League, where he played as a prospect in 2022. However, he said he’ll have to adjust to get adequate at-bats there.

“I talked with our farm director, Jeremy Farrell,” McLain said via MLB.com. “There are a bunch of guys, rules about how often guys have to play and I was a really late add to the team. It was a conversation of, ‘If you want more at-bats, you might have to try other positions.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, of course. I just want to play.’”

In his first game back, the infielder played center field for Glendale during their 11-7 loss at Salt River.

However, it wasn’t like it was a completely new position for him since during his time playing for the UCLA Bruins, he played centerfield in his freshman year in 2019 before switching to dirt.