Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) is taking flips and hitting off a tee. Manager David Bell said on Tuesday that Friedl is "much further ahead" than anticipated in his six-week timetable from a fractured right wrist that he sustained back on March 16, so the center fielder's minor-league rehab assignment sounds like it's imminent. If Friedl continues to progress well, fantasy managers should be able to get him back available sometime in early-to-mid May. After breaking out a year ago, the 28-year-old left-handed hitter should serve as Cincy's everyday center fielder upon his eventual activation from the injured list. Fellow lefty-hitter Will Benson has drawn starts and hit from a favorable spot in the Reds' batting order at times against right-handed pitching this season, but he's barely on the radar in 12-team leagues with a .186/.288/.400 triple-slash line, two home runs, six RBI, and five stolen bases in 70 at-bats (20 games).

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon. Manager David Bell said the plan is for Friedl to begin his rehab work within the next week or two. The 28-year-old has been sidelined since suffering a fractured wrist in March. The organization is hopeful that Friedl can get back on the field for the Reds around early May. He's coming off a career-best 2023 season. Fantasy managers should hold tight for a little longer as Friedl appears to be making progress.

Cincinnati Reds center fielder TJ Friedl (wrist) underwent an MRI on Thursday and was determined to need another seven-to-ten days of lighter activity before ramping up his rehab process. The hope was that Friedl's injury would be a little more cleared up at this point and the delay is a bit of a setback for the 28-year-old. The lefty had a solid year in 2023, slashing .279/.352/.467, and was looking to catapult a young Reds roster into playoff contention before injuring his wrist a month ago in spring training. Will Benson has taken over center field responsibilities in Friedl's absence, hitting .213 with 2 HR on the short season. Friedl should be expected to take over as the starter once he returns, but without a clear timetable for him to come back fantasy managers in deeper leagues may want to keep Benson on their radar.

Cincinnati Reds manager David Bell said on Tuesday that outfielder TJ Friedl (wrist) has a check-in MRI this week. Friedl fractured his right wrist on March 16 during a spring training game and was expected to miss six to eight weeks, but he was able to avoid the 60-day injured list to begin the season. The 28-year-old center fielder should be able to rejoin the Reds in early May if all goes well in his recovery, and his progress is something to monitor for those opting not to stash him. Friedl broke out for Cincy last year, slashing a prolific .279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs, 66 RBI, 73 runs scored, and 27 stolen bases across 556 plate appearances. Will Benson is handling the majority of the reps in center for the time being, slashing .209/.277/.512 with eight extra-base hits, four RBI, and two stolen bags over 43 at-bats and carries a decent combination of power and speed for fantasy managers in NL-only and deep mixed leagues.

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 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.

The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder Jake Fraley (wrist) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 8) with a right-wrist contusion on Saturday and reinstated outfielder TJ Friedl (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list in a corresponding move. The team also recalled right-hander Kevin Herget from Triple-A Louisville and optioned right-hander Joel Kuhnel to Louisville. Fraley will leave behind a .262/.350/.430 slash line with seven homers, 38 RBI and a career-high 11 stolen bases in 55 games. Even with Friedl returning, there should be some more playing time for Will Benson and Stuart Fairchild with Fraley out. Friedl should return to a regular role after hitting a strong .326 (46-for-141) with three homers, 20 RBI and six steals before his injury.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (hamstring) has been placed on the 10-day injured list with a left hamstring strain. The 27-year-old outfielder missed three straight games with the issue so the Reds decided to place him on the injured list to free up a roster spot. Who might take his spot on the active roster is anyone's guess, at the moment, as Cincinnati has yet to announce a corresponding move. There's a certain top prospect that has been tearing it up at Triple-A Louisville but we don't want to speculate. Friedl was slashing a rock-solid .326/.377/.496 with three home runs, 20 RBI, and six stolen bases over 141 at-bats on the season.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (hamstring) exited Tuesday's 9-8 win over the Red Sox in the fourth inning with left hamstring tightness. Friedl went 0-for-3 with an RBI and a strikeout before being replaced by Jose Barrero. After the game, manager David Bell called the injury "minor", saying, "His goal is to be available off the bench tomorrow. He likely won't start." The 27-year-old has contributed a bit of everything this season, slashing .326/.377/.496 with three home runs, 20 RBI, and six stolen bases in 158 plate appearances. Fantasy managers should keep an eye out for more news tomorrow but may not see Friedl until Thursday.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (oblique) is hitting out of the leadoff spot Tuesday night in his return from the injured list. It's his first appearance out of the leadoff spot this season, but Friedl has been rather productive at the plate. The lefty-swinging outfielder is hitting .306 with three home runs, four stolen bases, and an .819 OPS across 37 contests for the season. However, regression appears to be on the horizon, as Friedl's .354 wOBA is well above his .283 expected mark while he sits in the second percentile in hard-hit rate and third percentile in average exit velocity on the season. Nonetheless, he'll look to hit the ground running against 41-year-old Adam Wainwright on Tuesday night in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder TJ Friedl (oblique) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to May 12) with a left oblique strain on Monday and also moved first baseman Joey Votto (biceps, shoulder) to the 60-day injured list. Additionally, the Reds recalled infielder Matt McLain from Triple-A Louisville and put left-hander Brandon Williamson on the taxi squad. Friedl injured himself last Thursday and will now miss some time. The 27-year-old was off to a fine start in 2023, hitting .306 with three long balls, 18 RBI, four steals and 13 runs scored, so he's worth hanging onto in deeper leagues. Stuart Fairchild and Jose Barrero should see more chances for playing time with Friedl out. Votto, who hasn't played yet this year, took live batting practice over the weekend and could start a minor-league rehab assignment soon.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (side) is not in the team's starting lineup against right-hander Eury Perez and the Miami Marlins on Friday. Friedl tweaked his side while taking a swing in Thursday's game against the New York Mets and will remain out to start the series against Miami. For now, fantasy managers should consider the 27-year-old outfielder as day-to-day. The left-handed hitter has been great for the Reds so far this year, going 38-for-124 (.306) with five doubles, three triples, three home runs, 18 RBI, four stolen bases and 13 runs scored in 37 games played. In his absence on Friday, Jake Fraley will start in left field and hit second in the order against Perez and the Marlins.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (side) left Thursday's game early against the New York Mets with soreness in his side in the sixth inning. He will undergo an MRI exam. The 27-year-old likely tweaked his side during a swing in the bottom of the fifth inning. Before departing, Friedl went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the 5-0 win to drop his batting average to a robust .306 on the season. He was replaced in center field by Stuart Fairchild. We'll know more about Friedl's injury on Thursday night and whether or not the injury is serious enough to land him on the injured list. The left-handed hitter came into Thursday's game hitting a strong .314 (38-for-121) with five doubles, three triples, three home runs, 18 RBI and four stolen bases in 36 games for Cincy.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl is absent from the starting lineup for Saturday's contest with the Oakland Athletics. The 27-year-old has been productive with the bat, slashing .303/.357/.438 with a pair of homers and stolen bases, and has added eight runs and 11 RBI through 26 games. But with left-hander Kyle Muller on the hill for the A's, it's a good opportunity to give Friedl a rest, considering his .745 OPS versus southpaws. Kevin Newman is taking his spot in the lineup, playing shortstop and batting sixth. The lefty killer owns a .572 OPS this season but is slashing .318/.348/.591 against left-handers, so he looks like a perfect option for fantasy managers that need a shortstop.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl stayed hot at the plate in Monday's 8-1 win over the Rays, going 1-for-3 with a double, four RBI, and a walk. The 27-year-old has gotten off to a nice start at the plate, slashing .304/.371/.518 with two home runs and nine RBI. The Reds' lineup isn't great, but they do have the benefit of playing their home games in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Friedl is rostered in just 14 percent of leagues, making him worth a look in deep leagues.

The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder TJ Friedl (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right hamstring strain and activated catcher Aramis Garcia (finger) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. The Reds also activated right-hander Robert Dugger (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list and designated him for assignment. The 27-year-old Friedl will miss the team's final two regular season games this week. In his first full MLB season this year, Friedl finishes with a .240/.314/.436 slash line with eight home runs, 25 RBI, 33 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 258 plate appearances and 72 games.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl couldn't provide a hit in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The 27-year-old is now hitting .150 in his past seven contests. Although that's not pretty, Friedl's been productive over 68 games, slashing .245/.319/.449 with eight home runs, 33 runs, 25 RBI, and seven steals. The Reds tend to bench the lefty against southpaws, so he should only be used as a deep bench player, or fantasy managers can stream him in favorable matchups.