TJ Friedl Facing Extended Absence Due To Wrist Fractur

Reds center fielder was pulled from yesterdays game with what the club initially termed a right wrist sprain, as noted by . Since then, however, the club provided a far more dire update regarding Friedls status: the 28-year-olds new diagnosis is a right wrist fracture that will keep him off the clubs Opening Day roster as he figures to mi s an extended period. , Friedl indicated to reporters this evening that hell have to wait for the bone to heal before he can resume baseball activities. While no timetable for Friedls return was specified, he expre sed optimism that he play for the Reds at some point this year. Hell be re-evaluated in three to four weeks to determine next steps in his rehab proce s. The news is a major blow to the clubs chances in a competitive NL Central division this season. The 28-year-old was one of the clubs most reliable all-around contributors last year with a .279/.352/467 slash line in 138 games to go along with 27 stolen bases and strong defense in center field. That strong performance left Friedl in position to be one of the most crucial pieces in the clubs positional mix this season, particularly given the clubs relative lack of outfield depth in comparison to their famously deep infield mix. In Friedls absence, the club will likely turn to the likes of and in center field to open the season. That would open up playing time on the infield corners for the likes of , , and . and are Bryce Jarvis Jersey among the clubs depth options in the outfield currently on the 40-man roster. Between the lo s of Friedl to injury and third baseman s 80-game suspension following a positive test for the performance enhancing substance Boldenone, the Reds figure to enter the season with substantially le s depth on the positional side than expected entering the season. That will mean additional opportunities- and additional pre sure- for the clubs bevy of young infielders, which includes the likes of , , and , each of whom appear likely to get everyday at-bats alongside the likes of , India, and Steer in the clubs infield mix while Friedl and Marte are unavailable. The club also has a handful of non-roster options who could provide additional infield depth coming off the bench, such as and . While those internal options all figure to be under consideration for the Reds, that president of baseball operations Nick Krall didnt rule out looking outside of the organization for additional help on the positional side in light of Friedls injury. The Reds made clear how much they valued their position player depth this winter when they not only decided against trading Jonathan India despite him being seemingly squeezed out of the clubs everyday lineup, but doubled down on that decision by adding Candelario to the infield mix on a three-year deal. Those decisions have already paid off in a big way for the club by softening the blow of losing Marte and Friedl before the 2024 season has even begun, and it would be understandable if Krall was interested in finding ways to further bolster the clubs depth. With that being said, the Pirates with veteran outfielder took the last surefire center fielder off the free agent market last week, meaning the Reds would likely be forced to look to the trade market if they hope to improve their current outfield mix. It would be a surprise to see Cincinnati swing a major move for another bat, though its certainly po sible the club could look to add a veteran currently in camp with another club on a non-roster deal who isnt rostered by his current organization, either by way of a minor trade before Spring Training comes to a close or perhaps simply by waiting for them to trigger an opt-out clause and return to the open market. , , , , , and are among the many veteran center fielders currently in camp with other clubs on minor league deals who could be speculative fits for a bench role with the Reds should they be made available. Josh Bell Jersey