There’s no question TJ Friedl is a spark plug for the Reds.
In 2025, he led the team in OBP (.364), and was second in runs scored (82).
His 247 times on base out of the leadoff spot were 3rd most in MLB, behind Shohei Ohtani (268) and Fernando Tatis Jr. (248).
He’s also a bit of a conundrum. He gets worn down, doesn’t run nearly as well as he used to, is a poor defender, and didn’t fare as well vs LHP last season as he has in the past (.243).
He played in a career high 152 games, but hit just .238 after the All-Star break. That included .221 over his final 44 games.
Starting during three IL stints in 2024, he’s made a conscious decision to dial back his running/diving, in an effort to stay healthier.
His sprint speed has dropped dramatically. He’s gone from the 71 and 74 percentile in MLB in 2022-2023, to just 26 and 32 the last two seasons.
Defensively, he ranked 174th out of 179 center fielders in Defensive Runs Saved last season, at -10. For context. Boston’s Ceddanne Rafaela led CF at +20.
Pete Crow-Armstrong was +15. New Red CF Dane Myers +3 and Will Benson +4.
It will be interesting to see how Friedl’s playing time is handled in 2026.
The Reds are clearly leaning more into defense, and an open discussion has included Myers getting time in CF, and Friedl sliding over to LF, on occasion.
Does less of Friedl keep him fresher and even more production? What does a lineup minus Friedl look like at the top? What does less of Friedl in CF look like for this defense?