MILWAUKEE - One of the Cincinnati Reds' key hitters, Matt McLain, likely will sit out the final game of the series against the Brewers Sunday after hamstring tightness caused him to be a late scratch from the lineup before games Friday and Saturday night, his manager said.
"We might not play him (Sunday) just to be probably a little bit of a worrywart," manager Terry Francona said. "I want him to be able to play and not have to try to go 85 or 90 percent. I don't think that's fair to him. He's willing to do it. I don't think that's right."
McLain said the tightness isn't the result of a single play, more something that has "lingered" over the past several days.
He came off the bench Friday night and hit a deep fly to center that just missed being a go-ahead home run in the ninth.
The second baseman was originally in the lineup as the designated hitter Saturday before the team determined he would sit out again.
If it causes him to miss much more time, the team might have to consider the 10-day injured list to backfill for a lineup that's already missing middle-of-the-order hitters Tyler Stephenson (oblique) and Austin Hays (calf).
Hays could be back in the coming week. Stephenson is to start baseball activities if an MRI Monday shows he's clear of inflammation.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds to wrap up Milwaukee series without Matt McLain (hamstring)
