They’re back on the roster, folks!
Two cornerstones of the would-be Cincinnati Reds infield in 2024 ended up on the Glendale Desert Dogs in Arizona Fall League play this October. Both Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand dealt with respective injuries that required respective surgeries during the course of this year, and both finished the regular season parked on the 60-day injured list.
All 60-day IL players must be returned to the 40-man roster after the completion of the World Series, their ‘additional’ roster spots no longer a way for teams to backfill for injured players. However, the Reds went ahead and did that with both McLain and CES today due to their play in the AFL being considered a ‘rehab stint’ and the time threshold for their rehabbing had reached its limit.
Gordon Wittenmyer of The Enquirer relayed the news Tuesday afternoon, noting that the club had designated both Amed Rosario and Brandon Leibrandt for assignment to make room on the 40-man.
The Reds DFA’d pending free agents Brandon Leibrandt, Amed Rosario to make 40-man roster room to activate Matt McLain and Christian Encarnacion-Strand from the 60-day IL—technicalities required for the latter pair because their “rehab” assignments in the Ariz Fall League expired.
— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) October 28, 2024
The Reds still have an armful of players on the 60-day IL who’ll be returned to the roster (or DFA’d themselves) when the administrative time comes post World Series. That list includes Graham Ashcraft, Andrew Abbott, Christian Roa, Tejay Antone, Austin Wynns, and Stuart Fairchild, meaning the Reds - even with pending free agents reaching said free agency - will have a few other roster decisions to make in the coming weeks.
As for McLain and CES, their stay in the AFL was short but productive. The two combined to go 12 for 29 with 4 doubles, a dinger, and a solid 10/12 K/BB in 40 total PA, numbers you’d expect from a pair of guys who’d already gotten a foothold at the big league level when facing even some of the better up-and-coming prospects the game has to offer.
While their stay in the AFL comes to an end, the Reds still have the likes of Edwin Arroyo and Tyler Callihan down there socking lasers, so tune in to check them out over the remaining few weeks of play for Glendale.
