The Cincinnati Reds have no timeline for the return of center fielder TJ Friedl, who fractured his right wrist while trying to make a diving catch in a game on Saturday in Goodyear, Ariz.
Friedl, who established himself as the Reds’ everyday center fielder last season, broke the distal radius in the wrist and said Sunday he will be reevaluated in three to four weeks.
“Right now, the only thing I can really do is let the bone heal. I’ll do what I can on my end to keep the hand stable and in place and not move it around. Just let the bone heal on its own,” Friedl told the Cincinnati Enquirer.
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, a return to vigorous activities with the wrist could take three to six months, with a full recovery requiring up to one year.
Friedl, 28, mostly batted first or second in the lineup last season, his third in the majors. He hit .279 with 18 home runs, 66 RBIs, 47 walks, and stole 27 bases in 33 attempts.
His absence could mean playing time in center field for the right-hand-hitting Stuart Fairchild and lefty-hitting Will Benson, according to Nick Krall, Cincinnati’s president of baseball operations.
Led by a corps of young players, the Reds improved from 62 wins and tied for last place in the NL Central in 2022 to 82 wins in 2023. They were in the wild-card chase until the final days of the season, finishing two games behind the final playoff spot. They have been expected to contend for the division crown this season.
