TJ Friedl, who has been diagnosed with a bone bruise, will miss the Cincinnati Reds’ starting lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. In his place, left fielder Gavin Lux will bat leadoff, and Will Benson will take over in center field. Friedl’s absence is clearly linked to the outfield collision that happened Tuesday night when Elly De La Cruz pushed deep into the outfield.
The night started poorly for Friedl. During his second at-bat, after facing several inside pitches, he was hit on the left arm. He showed obvious pain as he ran to first base, and as the game went on, a noticeable welt developed on his left forearm.
Despite the injury, Friedl stayed in the game until the next inning. A slow fly ball to shallow center field caused Friedl, De La Cruz, and Matt McLain to converge on the same spot. Both Friedl and De La Cruz slid feet-first, with Friedl being propelled over the top of the Reds’ star shortstop. When Friedl landed, his momentum caused his right side to slam into the turf.
Elly De La Cruz’s collision with TJ Friedl causes major ripple effect for Reds lineup
Friedl eventually left the game on his own and was replaced in center field by Will Benson. After the game, Friedl explained that he was calling for the ball during the collision with De La Cruz. While he didn’t directly blame De La Cruz, plays like that are usually the outfielder’s responsibility.
X-rays on Friedl’s right wrist came back negative, and he was scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday. The hope is that sitting out Wednesday’s game against the White Sox is just a precaution. The Reds definitely don’t want to add another player to their injured list.
Currently, the Reds are already missing Noelvi Marte, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Hunter Greene, Jeimer Candelario, Jake Fraley, and Austin Callihan. Losing another outfielder would be a major blow. Tonight, Benson will play alongside Lux and Rece Hinds in the outfield, with Austin Hays serving as the designated hitter.