Friedl returns to Majors as Dunn lands on IL with right elbow strain
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PITTSBURGH – The Reds placed outfielder Blake Dunn on the 10-day injured list on Sunday with a right elbow sprain. Taking his place is outfielder TJ Friedl, who was recalled from Triple-A Louisville.
Dunn was injured making a long throw to the plate in the fifth inning of Friday's 6-4 win over the Pirates and exited before the bottom of the sixth. He underwent an MRI exam on Saturday, but further tests were needed to determine the full extent of the injury and his timetable for a return.
After unsuccessful callups in 2024 and '25, Dunn was having a nice season since his May 4 return to the big leagues. The 27-year-old is batting .282/.335/.387 with two home runs, seven RBIs and six steals while having a 1.0 bWAR and establishing himself as a regular center fielder.
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Dunn's rise came in the wake of Friedl's struggles that cost his job in center field and, eventually, a big league roster spot.
Before he was optioned to Louisville on June 3, Friedl batted .179 with a .515 OPS and two home runs in 47 games. He had developed into one of the team's leaders over four seasons, and it was the first time he had been sent down since 2022.
“It’s just a blessing to be back here. It’s just incredible being back in this clubhouse," Friedl said.
It's likely that the lefty-hitting Friedl will split center-field duties with right-handed-hitting outfielder Dane Myers. Friedl frequently moved to left field in games when Myers was subbed in for defense this season.
Friedl, 30, batted .271 with an .841 OPS and three homers in 18 games for Louisville after a slow start.
“I think there was a little bit of streakiness to what he did when he first got down there," manager Terry Francona said. "Then he got real hot. It’s never easy for a guy to be told he’s going back to Triple-A. And he handled it like you would expect Friedl to handle it. Then when he walked in today, I don’t know if I’ve ever seen that many people excited to see somebody. That’s pretty cool.”
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Friedl, who was in Sunday's lineup against Pittsburgh, worked on his hitting approach while at Louisville.
“On the field, it was simplifying some things in my swings, mechanically," said Friedl, who played 152 games for the Reds last season. "Just something more consistent and repeatable, pitch-to-pitch, is the biggest thing.”