CHICAGO -- Eugenio Suárez and TJ Friedl were back in the Reds’ clubhouse Friday after both cleared outright waivers during Thursday’s off-day, a situation that had been whispered about after a late Wednesday night report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic said the two were available to the other 29 teams.
For Suárez, the third baseman and designated hitter, it was business as usual ahead of a day game against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
“I’ve got nothing to say about it," Suárez said. "It’s not part of my job.
Whatever they decide to do, it’s their business. My business is to play baseball.”
President of baseball operations Nick Krall and general manager Brad Meador told the players Thursday afternoon that they had cleared waivers and would remain with the club on Friday. Krall did not comment on the situation.
The move had two clear purposes, according to sources. One was financial: Suárez still has almost $3 million left on the one-year, $15 million deal he signed, while Friedl has about $700,000 remaining on the one-year, $3.8 million contract he agreed to in order to avoid arbitration. The other was the chance that a contender might claim either player and plug them into a playoff race.
Manager Terry Francona made his feelings about the leak plain.
“It’s supposed to be confidential. And for people that don’t keep it confidential, shame on them," Francona said.
"You’re in a spot of leadership for whatever organization, you need to respect that. And when it’s not respected, it kind of pisses me off.”
Suárez, 35, came back to Cincinnati as a free agent after previously playing for the club from 2015-21. He arrived with big expectations after a 49-homer season, but he hasn’t matched that level this year. He entered Friday hitting .208 with 19 home runs and a .705 OPS in 103 games.
He did, however, deliver one of the Reds’ biggest swings in Wednesday’s wild 10-9 win over the Giants, launching a grand slam in a seven-run top of the ninth inning. Suárez said he was glad the waiver process ended with him still in Cincinnati.
“Of course I’m happy to stay here," Suárez said. "I just got a call that I cleared waivers and I’m here with the team. That’s all that matters to me and everything else was fine.”
Friedl’s season has gone the other way. He’s in the middle of the worst year of his career, batting .158 with three homers and a .476 OPS in 76 games. Cincinnati sent him to the Minor Leagues for nearly a month in June, and he’s now playing only sparingly after serving as the Reds’ regular center fielder from 2022-25.
Suárez has a $16 million mutual option for 2027, while Friedl remains under club control and eligible for arbitration. Even so, neither player is likely to be back next season.
In Other News...
Matt McLain Just Put Reds Fans On Notice About MLB's Fight
The labor tension around baseballs next Collective Bargaining Agreement is already spilling into the player conversation, and Reds infielder Matt McLain has made it clear he expects a real fight ahead. With the current deal set to expire on Dec. 1 and negotiations still ongoing between MLB and the Players Association, McLain said on a podcast that he believes a lockout is likely, while also signaling that players are prepared to absorb missed games if it comes to that.
For Cincinnati, it is another reminder that the offseason could be shaped by more than roster moves and spring training planning. MLB owners have floated a salary cap and floor system that players strongly oppose, even as commissioner Rob Manfred has continued to sound optimistic about getting through to next season without major disruption. The gap between those positions remains wide, and McLains comments underscore how seriously players are taking the possibility that the standoff could carry into the games themselves. [Read more 🡒]
Francona Calls Out Reds Leak As Two Roster Decisions Turn Awkward
The Reds spent a tense day trying to manage two roster decisions that were supposed to stay quiet, only to have the news spill out before the club could control the message. Eugenio Suarez and TJ Friedl both landed on waivers, and Terry Francona did not hide his frustration over the leak of confidential information as Cincinnati tried to move through a delicate stretch with the deadline of a game against the Chicago Cubs still hanging over the clubhouse.
Suarez was still in the lineup against Chicago, while Friedl was absent, giving the situation a strangely normal look on the surface even as the backdrop remained awkward. Hector Rodriguez also returned to the lineup after a recent two-homer game, adding another layer to a day that felt more like roster management under a microscope than a typical game day in Cincinnati. [Read more 🡒]
Reds Were Caught In An Umpire Strike Zone Disaster At Wrigley
The Reds found themselves in the middle of a bizarre afternoon at Wrigley Field, where home plate umpire Bill Miller had a day that quickly became the talk of the game. Every one of his Automated Ball-Strike challenges went against him, with all eight calls overturned, a stunning run of misses that stood out even in a season where the challenge system has already added a new layer of scrutiny to the strike zone.
For Cincinnati, it only deepened the frustration around an umpire whose history with Reds players already carries some baggage. Millers showing was being measured against the broader backdrop of how other umpires have fared under ABS, but the headline was impossible to ignore: the strike zone had become a source of chaos, and the Reds were left to sort through the fallout while the rest of the league had another example of just how unforgiving the system can be when everything breaks the wrong way. [Read more 🡒]