Dateline: Cincinnati
The Reds ran out of patience with TJ Friedl but not faith.
The team came to the painful decision that Friedl, who lost his starting job to Blake Dunn over the last few weeks, was sent to Louisville to find himself. He was not able to find his mojo on the bench.
Friedl, last season's leadoff hitter played in 39 of the team's first 43 games but just eight of the last 18, only five of those were starts. He is slashing just .179/.259/.256 with six doubles and two home runs.
Manager Terry Francona admitted that it was a difficult decision to send Friedl out, who played 72 games at the big league level in 2022 but just seven rehab games in the minor leagues since.
Last season Friedl hit .261 and set the table for the rest of the lineup with a .364 on-base-percentage and a .378 slugging percentage that produced, 22 doubles, two triples and 14 home runs, all while robbing several home runs from opponents.
"He'll get to play every day there and kind of rediscover being Friedl," Francona said. "He's not that far removed from bein out leadoff hitter. He has had some tough times and sitting the bench. We labored over it."
"The conversation with him is he's an unbelievable teammate," Francona continued. "This gives him the best chance."
Friedl was asked to pinch hit in the 10th inning against the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday. He is the best bunter on the team but fouled off his attempt before suffering a strike out that failed to advance the runner. Dunn, his replacement over the last 20 games or so, delivered the game winning hit. It was not the specific reason, Freidl was sent out but illustrated it.
"Friedl understood. He listened. He talked. Nothing we feel has changed about him," Francona said. "You don't want to jump the gun. You want to make sure, you're doing it for the right reasons. We felt like the time was right. He kind of owned up to it. He told us that it is hard for him to sit on the bench and find myself. He said, 'I'm agreeing with you' He was as respectfull as you would expect him to be. No one will be pulling for him, more than me."
He was sent to Triple A Louisville and the team recalled outfielder Noelvi Marte to take his place on the roster before the series finale with the Kansas City Royals.
Marte was sent down for the same reasons that Friedl is now.
He had a good spring and won the right field job but had just four hits in 11 games and struck out 10 times in 29 at bats. He is prone to chase pitches out of the strike zone. The Reds sent him down to work on plate discipline and feel that the work has earned him another chance.
"He (Marte) has been sent down a couple times and both times, he has responded really well. That's what you love to see," Francona said. "He obviously swung the bat very well in Louisville. Some guys come up and continue to swing it, like (JJ) Bleday. Others don't. I think every body is different"
Marte played 40 games since he was sent to Louisville. He slashed .369/.409/.575. He hit seven doubles, a triple, eight home runs and drove home 27 runs. More telling is that he walked 12 times and struck out 26. It is closer to a 2 to 1 ratio than the 10 to 1 when he was sent down.
"The hardest thing for us to gage is guys that chase, pay for it way more here," Francona said. "There is better finish on breaking balls. That's going to be a key with Marte."
Marte was in center field last night in Memphis playing for the Bats.
"The biggest thing I learned was to be consistent," Marte said through translater, Thomas Vera. "My plan was stay with the pitch, I was looking for. It doesn't matter if it was out of the zone or not, if I see what I like, I'm going to be ready and I'm going to hit it hard. There was a game against the Pirates (Indianapolis Indians). That Pirates team has really good talent. When I finished that series I felt I was ready. I'm back."
The series ended on May 15. Marte was 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
"My mindset is to stay in the big leagues. When I was sent down. I blocked it out of my mind, the disappointment and told myself I have to get better," Marte said.
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