Reds outfield notebook: TJ Friedl is working on his timing

ARLINGTON, Texas — TJ Friedl had to go frame-by-frame to get to the bottom of what was going on with his swing. Entering Sunday, he’s just 2-for-26 this season.

“It starts with my timing,” Friedl said. “Normally, I start my leg kick when the (pitcher’s) hand breaks. Then, frame by frame, break it down, maybe I’m a couple of milliseconds after that. In this game, that’s all it takes. My leg kick isn’t getting as high. Swing decisions are later.”

He recognized that his timing was late. That created a ripple effect that impacted his mechanics.

“I’m not able to get my leg kick as high as it normally is,” Friedl said. “The swing window is a lot small because my timing is later.”

In recent years, when Friedl has been in a slump, he has gotten back on track by taking his ground ball hits the other way. But because the issue right now is the fact that his timing his late, trying to see the ball for even longer to take hits to left field wouldn’t really be the answer. He needs to get ahead of the ball.

“If I try to shoot it the other way,” Friedl said, “I might be later.”

When asked, Terry Francona didn’t make a big deal of Friedl’s struggles offensively.

“We faced some really good arms,” Francona said. “Then, he got sick and he played. What does he have 20 at-bats? He had the best spring training you could have. He stayed on everything. Then, the season started. He had 45 really good at-bats in spring training, then the season started and he had 20 that weren’t so good. He’ll be fine.”

More interesting is what’s going on in the outfield.

While Friedl was a standout defender in center field between 2023 and 2025, Francona continues talking about how much he likes having Friedl in left field in 2026.

In center field, Friedl’s biggest strength is how fundamentally sound he is. In left field, working with different angles, Friedl can be more of a playmaker.

“He’s so conscientious,” Francona said. “Even when he’s not running like maybe some other guys, he still does a really good job (in center) because he makes the plays you’re supposed to. In left, he’s kind of a difference maker.”

There have been a few balls in center that the 30-year-old Friedl hasn’t been able to get to in time. He’s confident that drills and outfield reps during batting practice get lead to progress with his first step.

“It’s baseball,” Friedl said. “It’s early. The biggest thing is reps. Defensively, there was one play in particular. As an outfielder, you listen for the bat. The bat tells you what you need to know. A ball hit 109 mph sounds really hard off the bat. There was one play (last week) where I took a couple of steps in, he hit a line drive to center and I didn’t hear anything off the bat. I took a couple of steps in, and it was over my head. Sometimes, you hear the loud crack of the bat and know that’s hit well. It’s a long season.”

So far, when Friedl has been in left field, Dane Myers has been in center field.

With how much better Friedl looks in left field, would Francona have Friedl play left field on days where Will Benson is in the lineup in center field?

“I thought about that,” Francona said. “It’s a great question. It may happen. It just didn’t happen yet.”

***

So far, it’s played out like a platoon in right field where Will Benson faces right-handed pitching and Noelvi Marte faces left-handed pitching.

“It won’t be (a platoon),” Francona said. “We’re trying to keep guys sharp. Marte has probably in the past hit righties better. It’s a little backwards at times. These things have a way of working themselves out as we go.”

The right-handed Marte is much better vs. RHP than LHP. Entering Sunday, he only has three plate appearances vs. RHP. That should change over the next week.

***

During spring training, Rece Hinds did everything in his power to make the team. There just wasn’t playing time available for him in the big leagues.

Hinds has carried that momentum into the regular season in Triple-A. In eight games, he’s hitting .400 with a 1.400 OPS, four homers, 14 RBI, seven walks and eight strikeouts.

“He’s swinging it really well,” Francona said. “We’ve noticed. We’re thrilled.”