The Cincinnati Reds thought they had their leadoff answer for 2026. TJ Friedl looked the part after a steady 2025 season, one built on a .261/.364/.378 line, an 11.8% walk rate, dependable contact, some speed, and just enough pop to keep pitchers honest.
That version of Friedl has vanished this year.
Through 71 games, the 31-year-old is hitting only .158/.242/.237. His walk rate has slipped, his strikeout rate has climbed, and the power has nearly disappeared with just three home runs. What once made him useful at the top of the order has turned into a major problem, and the numbers show the collapse clearly: Friedl put up 2.9 fWAR last season, but this year he has cost Cincinnati 0.9 fWAR.
The Reds have already tried to fix it. They sent him to Triple-A Louisville to try to get him back on track, and manager Terry Francona has handled the situation carefully in public.
But the results haven’t improved. If anything, the slide has continued, and that puts Friedl in real danger of being non-tendered this offseason.
He still doesn’t reach free agency until 2029, but the team control may not be enough to protect him. Friedl is in his first year of arbitration and is making $3.8 million. That’s not a massive number, but it is money the Reds could decide to spend elsewhere.
Cincinnati doesn’t have a deep stable of young outfielders ready to step in, though there are names in the mix. Dane Myers has shown flashes in center field, Reds fans are getting an early look at top prospect Héctor Rodriguez, and Carlos Jorge is currently in Triple-A. The 22-year-old could be in line for a September call-up.
If Friedl’s Reds tenure ends this winter, it would close the book on a player who fought his way into becoming a useful part of the roster over the past few seasons. Right now, though, his future in Cincinnati is headed in the wrong direction.
In Other News...
Reds Bullpen Churn Continues As Another New Arm Already Disappears
The Reds bullpen shuffle keeps rolling, and one of the newer additions is already out of the picture. Cincinnati brought in former Padres right-hander Ron Marinaccio to help stabilize the relief mix, but his time with the club was brief, as he was designated for assignment after only a handful of outings. It was the kind of quick turnaround that has become familiar for a pen that has seen a steady churn of arms trying to find a foothold.
Marinaccios departure leaves the Reds back at square one in that spot, with the roster spot opening as quickly as it was filled. Former Padres pitcher Matt Waldron is in a similar position with Toronto after being designated for assignment following four appearances, a reminder of how fragile these bullpen stops can be. For Cincinnati, the larger issue is not just losing a reliever, but doing so before there was any real chance to see whether the fit could last. [Read more 🡒]
Jeff Brantley Just Fired Up The Sal Stewart Rookie Debate
The National League Rookie of the Year conversation has become one of the more interesting late-season debates for the Reds, and Sal Stewart has put himself right in the middle of it. Cincinnatis rookie has been compared constantly with Cardinals infielder JJ Wetherholt, with the argument splitting along familiar lines: Stewarts bat versus Wetherholts work on the other side of the ball. It is the kind of race that invites strong opinions, especially when one of the voices weighing in happens to be on the Reds broadcast.
Jeff Brantley made his stance clear during a recent game broadcast, favoring Stewarts offensive production over Wetherholts defensive profile and adding another layer to a discussion that already has Reds fans talking. The debate has only grown louder as the season has gone on, with commentators and viewers trying to figure out whether the award should reward the more complete overall player or the one bringing the bigger impact at the plate. [Read more 🡒]