Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl got 4 PA against the Philadelphia Phillies on May 18th, and he went 0 for 3 with a K and a sac-fly RBI. In the eight days that followed, he got a grand total of jsut 3 PA, with a sac bunt the only thing to show for it.
That I even called him ‘Cincinnati Reds outfielder’ instead of ‘Cincinnati Reds leadoff man and everyday centerfielder’ should’ve been a tell on where Friedl stands on this roster currently, as well as how quickly he has fallen from the ranks of dependability
to merely hanging on to his roster spot.
To date, he’s hitting .176/.255/.257 in 169 PA this season. Among the 182 MLB players who have logged at least 160 PA this season, his 43 wRC+ ranks second worst, while his xwOBA – an expected stat – ranks tied for third worst, too. In other words, he hasn’t just been unlucky, he’s just been plain awful at the plate.
Friedl ranks in the 10th percentile (or, in many cases, much worse) in each of xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, Barrel %, Hard-Hit %, Launch Angle Sweet-Spot %, and Batting Run Value so far in 2026. His sprint speed is down to just the 34th percentile, his arm value at 23rd, and that’s been enough to see manager Terry Francona move him out of center and into left whenever he had the gumption to actually put Friedl into the lineup in the first place so far in 2026.
That gumption is once again there on Wednesday, however, as Friedl will return to the lineup in the series finale against the New York Mets as the Reds look to complete the sweep. TJ will start in CF and bat 9th, the hope being this much time on the pine has helped him hit the reset button as hard as physically possible and that maybe, just maybe, there’s a little something left in the tank for the veteran outfielder.
Andrew Abbott will start for the Reds tonight, Matt McLain gets to ride pine to start, and Spencer Steer will get some run at 2B.
Here’s the full Reds lineup for the 7:10 PM ET start:
