Look, no one is more saddened than I am that after only 6 games and 24 plate appearances T.J. Friedl is once again back on the IL. This time he has a broken left thumb suffered on the first pitch, in his first plate appearance of the series finale on Sunday against the Giants. You can watch the 30 second video from MLB below.
You may recall back on March 16th, during spring training, when Friedl dove for a ball in center field and broke his wrist.
“When I fractured my wrist, it was my first time ever breaking anything and I remember how that felt internally. It was hard to tell with my thumb because it was so numb. My nail was bruised up. Halfway up, my thumb was all numb and bruised up.”
Because of that swelling, the Reds are waiting on the results of an additional CT scan before determining the time table for his return according to Mark Sheldon, Reds beat reporter for MLB.com. He was placed on the 10 day IL, but I fear it will be a lengthier stay than that.
The Reds needed to make a corresponding move, and the did so by promoting their #24th rated prospect according to MLB Pipeline in Jacob Hurtubise. The left-handed batting outfielder has a very interesting and unique road to the big leagues. Jacob is a graduate of West Point and was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 2019 draft with the 1176 pick. He then became a free agent in 2020, which you may recall was the pandemic shortened season, and signed for a mere $20,000. In so doing he became the first academy player allowed to defer his military service obligation under a new pro athlete exemption policy.
He was average in 2021, missed almost the entire 2022 season due to a long list of injuries followed by his eye-opening 2023 season where he had a .961 OPS and 45 total steals playing for both the AA and AAA farm teams of the Reds. His whirlwind 2023 also included being named The Reds’ Minor League offensive Player of the Year, a trip to the Arizona Fall League and being added to the Reds’ 40-man roster so he could not be selected by another team in the Rule 5 Draft. Now, just a few short months later, he is in the big leagues.
I am going to say this with as much conviction as one can give on paper, he should start every day until T.J. Friedl comes back! I know he never homered in his 4 year college career, and I don’t care. This team is in an awful slump right now and they need a spark. Why not give a minor league kid, with a military background, who last year scored 102 runs on 113 hits a chance to prove himself? He also walked an additional 77 times while only striking out 63 times. No, that is not a typing error.
With all due respect to the current Reds outfielders, we know what you are……not good enough. I know that is harsh, but it is true. I love and root for Will Benson, but you have been given 2 plate appearances shy of 150 this season producing a .191 batting average 11 RBI’s 17 walks and 60 strikeouts. Stuart Fairchild, we know what you are as well. 14 hits for the entire season in 74 at bats. That is a .189 batting average, in 31 games you have 21 total bases (read that again, and make sure you emphasize the word total). As a whole this team ranks 28th in on base percentage and 26th in slugging, and that is playing their home games at Great American Ballpark.
Hurtubise should play either left or right field (I think he is good enough to play center as well, but I am banking that will be the excuse to give Will and Stuart playing time) every day until T.J. comes back, evaluate him at the big league level, and see if he can consistently get on base in front of Elly De La Cruz. I am not forgetting about the rest of this line-up. Spencer Steer should also be there either at 1st, third, or DH every day and bat third. Jeimer Candelario the switch hitter fourth, Jonathan India fifth, Mike Ford sixth and Tyler Stephenson seventh so you go righty lefty righty.
I am not ready to blow this thing up. I do think this is still a talented squad. A squad that is without Matt McLain, CES and Noelvi Marte as well. I just want to inject a spark at the top of this line-up. We already know what Fairchild, and Benson are, let’s learn what Jacob is. It certainly can’t hurt…ubise.
Photo Credit; Reddit, Army West Point Athletics, Fansided
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