TJ Friedl's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday. While the move is a procedural measure, it's worth noting that Friedl avoided the 60-day IL in the face of a recovery timetable of six to eight weeks due to his fractured wrist. The Reds must believe the 28-year-old center fielder has a chance to return before the end of May, meaning fantasy managers shouldn't forget about him if choosing to leave Friedl on waiver wires instead of stashing him to start the year in shallow leagues. Friedl flourished during his first full year in the major leagues in 2023, slashing a potent .279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 73 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases across 556 plate appearances. Will Benson is a name to watch during the early stages of the 2024 campaign after hitting .275 with an .863 OPS, 11 homers, and 19 swipes over 287 at-bats for Cincy a year ago.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) can return from his broken wrist ahead of the two months he'd have to miss if he were on the 60-day injured list. The 28-year-old will start the season on the injured list after fracturing his wrist while diving for a ball in last Saturday's spring game against the Mariners. He is Cincinnati's starting centerfielder after slashing .279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 73 runs, and 27 stolen bases over 556 plate appearances in 2023. Barring a setback, Friedl will likely make his season debut in May. The Reds are deciding on the final roster spot between Bubba Thompson and Jacob Hurtubise. Neither Thompson nor Hurtubise hold any fantasy value. Jacob Fraley and Will Benson should also see an uptick in at-bats with Friedl sidelined.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) will be re-assessed in three to four weeks after fracturing his wrist while diving for a ball on Saturday. Friedl will need some time off to allow the bone to heal, and then the team will see where he's at. At minimum, he will miss most of the season's opening month. While this is tough news for Friedl and his fantasy owners, his injury does help clear up a muddy outfield picture in Cincy. Both Will Benson and Jake Fraley should benefit and can be considered sleepers in fantasy drafts now.

Cincinnati Reds' outfielderTJ Friedl (wrist) suffered a sprained wrist in the second inning of Saturday's game against the Seattle Mariners. The injury happened as the 28-year-old dove for a ball and appeared to roll up on his wrist. There is no current timeline for Friedl's recovery, which jeopardizes his status for Opening Day. Though Friedl had not performed well in spring training, hitting .185 over 12 games. The 28-year-old is still expected to be a productive member of the Reds in 2024. ATC projects Friedl with a .255/.330/.418 projected slash line, 15 HR, and 58 RBI. Fantasy managers should not know that Friedl's current ADP of 165 could likely be affected if he is expected to miss any significant amount of time.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl went 3-for-3 with two runs scored in Sunday's 7-3 spring loss to the Kansas City Royals. He doubled twice and increased his spring batting average to .333 after the three-hit performance. The 28-year-old is slashing .333/.429/.500 with two runs scored over five games. He will hit leadoff against right-handers, where he posted a .336 on-base percentage against them in 2023. Overall, Friedl slashed .279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 73 runs, and 27 stolen bases over 556 plate appearances. While he finished with solid overall numbers last season, his 3.2% barrel percentage was in the seventh percentile, while his 27.6% hard-hit percentage was in the fifth percentile. Despite ranking in the bottom in hard-hit percentage, Friedl should lead off most games in a loaded Reds lineup and is a solid pick at his current NFBC ADP of 151.