​The Cincinnati Reds have Elly De La Cruz back, and despite an ankle sprain, he’s slated to be their everyday shortstop going forward. The front office brought up top prospect Edwin Arroyo to team with Matt McLain at the keystone, and they’ve signaled they don’t plan to send Arroyo back to the minors after De La Cruz’s return. Arroyo has started slowly but has settled in, hitting .277 with a .333 on-base after his initial struggles, and over his last 10 games he’s posted a .333/.389/.424 line with three doubles. He’s making a solid case to be the regular second baseman going forward, showing competence from both sides of the plate.
Meanwhile, McLain’s season has seen his OPS dip to .646 while Arroyo sits at .656. McLain had a breakout rookie year a few seasons ago, but that was four years and a shoulder surgery ago. Since the start of 2025, in 873 plate appearances, he’s hit .213/.301/.343 (a .644 OPS). He’s shown occasional power—22 or 23 homers across that stretch—but has struggled to sustain it, often chasing power and posting a 28% strikeout rate over the past two years. Defensively, both have similar capabilities, and both run the bases well, making a rotation feasible. Yet deciding who gets the bulk of the playing time has broader implications beyond this season, as McLain is already arb-eligible and would receive a raise in the offseason.
With the Reds in last place, the team faces a dual challenge: what lineup gives them the most immediate benefit, and what option best serves the franchise’s future. This week’s MLB Reacts question asks readers to weigh in on the Reds’ second baseman situation: who should be the regular 2B for the rest of the season—Edwin Arroyo or Matt McLain?