Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl is only slashing .154/.267/.167 this season, but that's not how he performed on Sunday. The 30-year-old went 2-for-5 with three RBIs in a 7-4 win over the Minnesota Twins, helping his club complete a three-game sweep and reach a 14-8 record.
The Reds entered the top of the ninth down 3-1, but Spencer Steer and Stephenson started the rally with singles before Hinds flied out and Myers walked. Friedl then deposited a 96-mile-per-hour fastball to center for a three-run double, giving them a 4-3 lead.
Austin Martin then tied the game with an RBI double for the Twins in the bottom of the inning, but Cincinnati scored three runs in the top of the 10th before right-handed pitcher Graham Ashcraft earned the save to close the game.
Friedl had just two hits in his previous eight games entering Sunday, but his timely double against the Twins exemplified why he's an important piece in the Reds' lineup. The 5-foot-8, 180-pounder has a .742 OPS with 58 stolen bases in 481 career games, and they could be one of the NL's best teams if he gets back to that level of production.
As much as Friedl has struggled this season, Cincinnati still has the fourth-best record in the NL and has a half-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals for first place in the NL Central. That's partially because of first baseman Sal Stewart, shortstop Elly De La Cruz, and third baseman Eugenio Suarez.
Stewart is fifth in baseball with a .978 OPS, tied for fourth with seven homers, and tied for 11th with 19 RBIs. The rookie also leads the Reds with a .278 batting average.
Meanwhile, De La Cruz tops the squad with 23 hits and is second with an .859 OPS, while Suarez is third with a .740 OPS. Those three players have anchored the offense, while pitchers like right-hander Chase Burns (2.42 ERA), right-hander Connor Phillips (2.08 ERA), and Ashcraft (1.50 ERA) have also excelled.
If those players stay hot while Friedl keeps hitting as he did on Sunday, nothing is stopping the Reds from challenging the Los Angeles Dodgers atop the NL. However, it's going to take more than one clutch moment for Friedl to get back to his pre-2026 form.
Up next for Cincinnati is a road series against the Tampa Bay Rays starting at 6:40 p.m. ET on Monday. Right-handed pitcher Rhett Lowder will start for the Reds.