GOODYEAR, Ariz. — The Reds will probably be with out heart fielder TJ Friedl for an prolonged interval after he was identified Sunday with a non-displaced fracture in his proper wrist.
Friedl’s wrist is in a gentle solid. His return has no speedy timeline, however he will probably be re-evaluated in three to 4 weeks.
“The one factor I can do is simply let the bone heal,” Friedl stated. “I’m going to do the whole lot on my finish I can to maintain the hand secure and in place and never transfer it round.”
With two outs within the high of the second inning towards the Mariners on Saturday, Friedl tried a diving catch on Ryan Bliss’ line drive to heart subject. As he hit the bottom, his proper glove hand rolled underneath him. His glove flung into the air, and he spent a number of moments down on the sphere.
After the 28-year-old exited the sport, preliminary X-rays had been damaging and he was identified with a sprain. Nevertheless, an MRI examination adopted that exposed a small fracture of the distal radius bone in his wrist. Group doctor Dr. Andrew Razzano made the analysis.
“It’s powerful and I’m attempting to not look again on the play and take into consideration diving or not as a result of that’s who I’m,” Friedl stated. “There’s no off change. It doesn’t matter if it’s Spring Coaching or Sport 7 of the World Collection. That’s simply the best way I play the sport. I play the sport onerous, and that is a kind of issues that’s only a freak incident. My glove bought caught within the grass, and it simply caught, and the whole lot else stored going.”
Whereas missing the title recognition of younger teammates Elly De La Cruz or Matt McLain, Friedl was a pivotal contributor to Cincinnati final season. They had been relying on him as a leadoff hitter and he’ll play a giant half of their 2024 efforts to contend for the postseason.
“TJ is a big a part of our group, we all know that,” Reds supervisor David Bell stated. “He works so onerous and cares a lot about it. It is a powerful loss. I understand how a lot he likes to play. He’s going to overlook it.”
Friedl cemented himself as a daily for the primary time in 2023 whereas batting .279 with an .819 OPS, 18 dwelling runs, 66 RBIs and 27 stolen bases in 138 video games. The lefty hitter led the Main Leagues with 17 bunt hits and had a .962 OPS vs. left-handed pitchers. He additionally led the membership with a 3.8 WAR.
Defensively, Friedl led the Reds outfielders with 9 assists.
“It undoubtedly sucks,” Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall stated. “It sucks for TJ, it sucks for the group. However we’ll let it heal for a few weeks and see the place it’s after which begin progressing him to getting again to the massive leagues.”
With out Friedl, the possible two in-house choices for heart subject are right-handed hitter Stuart Fairchild and left-handed hitter Will Benson.
“We’ve had some inside discussions,” Krall stated. “Nothing concrete simply but, we’ll have to determine what the most effective choices are.”
Fairchild has 52 profession video games in heart subject over three massive league seasons, together with 17 begins there final season.
“I am at all times prepared for regardless of the group asks me,” Fairchild stated earlier than the complete extent of Friedl’s damage was recognized. “That is so simple as it’s.”
In his two Main League seasons, Benson has performed heart subject over 14 video games, however solely 4 final season for the Reds with one begin.
Might the Reds go exterior the group for one more heart fielder?
“We’re nonetheless wanting if we will fill it internally,” Krall stated. “Possibly there’s an exterior [option]. Possibly any individual would not make a roster that matches. We’re taking a look at that throughout the board. It is not only for this.”
The Reds may even have to find out a brand new leadoff hitter and there is loads of choices. From 2021-22, Jonathan India was their major leadoff hitter and infrequently crammed the function in ’23. There may be additionally McLain, Spencer Steer and others.
Friedl regarded ahead to returning as quickly as potential to assist the membership.
“It is powerful not with the ability to go on the market for Opening Day and for nevertheless lengthy it’s,” he stated. “We have now numerous guys on this clubhouse who rally round one another. It is not only one particular person man. Baseball is a recreation of somebody doing one thing completely different daily. I am probably not fearful about these guys. They may proceed to do what they do greatest. All I can do is put myself able to choose up the place I left off and rejoin the group.”