MILWAUKEE – When word got out this spring that Cincinnati Reds second baseman Matt McLain had switch agents from Scott Boras, the first question was so obvious McLain knew what it was before it was asked.
“Yes,” he said.
In fact, he then answered before the question could be finished.
“No, I’m not.”
No, he said, he’s not in contract extension talks or seeking one with the new agent Greg Genske and Vayner Sports now handling such business affairs for him instead of the high-powered Boras, who more often winds up with his better clients seeking bigger paydays through free agency.
“I didn’t play last year,” McLain said.
But a funny thing happened on the way to no extension talks and that three-game spree of home runs during the first week of the season for McLain.
The Reds reached out with preliminary framework of an offer before the season started.
“It was a short conversation,” McLain said Thursday. “It just didn’t line up.”
McLain has said more than once he’s open to extension talks. Neither side has ruled out revisiting the the discussion.
Among the handful of players the Reds approached since last season, they got one two-year extension done with catcher Jose Trevino near the end of spring training.
“We’ve had discussions (with multiple players),” general manager Brad Meador said. “I would say they’re still very preliminary and early. Obviously, we have some guys that we’d like to keep here.”
The subject of extensions is in the spotlight around the game right now, with a flurry of extensions coming since the season opened, including San Diego oufielder Jackson Merrill (nine years, $135 million), Red Sox rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell (eight/$60 million), and Arizona veteran second baseman Ketel Marte (seven/$116.5 million) just since Monday – on the heels of Boston getting young starter Garrett Crochet locked up over the weekend to a six-year, $70 million deal.
Arizona right-hander Brandon Pfaadt also got an extension done since the season ...
