ATLANTA – Outfielder TJ Friedl, one of the Cincinnati Reds‘ clubhouse favorites, cleared waivers and accepted an assignment that keeps him with the organization.
In what amounts to a paper move, Friedl accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Louisville, which finished its season over the weekend.
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Friedl cleared waivers after being designated for assignment over the weekend, the DFA looking at the time like a move that marked the end of an 11-year relationship with the organization.
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Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) throws a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Brady Singer (51) throws a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Graham Ashcraft (23) runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski (70) throws a pitch in the first inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Los Angeles Dodgers second baseman Alex Freeland (76) celebrates after scoring in the second inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Cincinnati Reds left fielder TJ Friedl (29) walks off after striking out at the bottom third inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Luis Mey (47) throws a pitch in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Cincinnati Reds right fielder Héctor Rodríguez (43) steals third base in the fifth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Tony Santillan (64) throws a pitch in the sixth inning of a MLB game between the Cincinnati Reds and Los Angeles Dodgers, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. The Dodgers clinched the title to the NLS division.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. The Dodgers clinched the title to the NLS division.
(Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer)
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Cincinnati Reds fall to Los Angeles Dodgers. See photos
Fans cheer as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2, Thursday, Sept. 17, 2026, at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati. The Dodgers clinched the title to the NLS division.
(Frank Bowen IV/ The Enquirer)
“As hard as this year was for him, he never once was not a fantastic teammate,” manager Terry Francona said when the Reds sent him out over the weekend. “And I told him that, I think three or four times. It’s meaningful.”
Friedl, the leadoff hitter with a .361 on-base percentage for last year’s Reds’ playoff team, slumped mightily this season after opening the year in the same leadoff spot.
Cincinnati Reds center fielder TJ Friedl (29) catches a fly ball in the first inning between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Saturday, August 1, 2026.
He hit just .172 with a .255 on-base percentage in 91 big-league games this season – performance that cost him a month-long demotion to the minors in June and led to the Reds putting him on waivers in August, weeks before the DFA.
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If Friedl remains with the organization on a minor-league contract next year, he would be eligible to play in minor-league games if a labor shutdown were to persist into the big-league season.
