TJ Friedl’s hamstring injury prompted the shuffle.
Nick Lodolo last pitched for the Cincinnati Reds on May 6th, a shin/calf/tibia injury derailing his second season in the big leagues immediately after. Today, the Reds moved him to the 60-day injured list to free up a 40-man roster spot for other moves, meaning the earliest we’ll see him back is around the 4th of July.
It was the pulled hamstring of TJ Friedl that prompted the shuffling, as the Reds chose to finally move him to the 10-day injured list and get some active reinforcements. The question we all were asking, of course, is which of the top prospects at AAA Louisville would get the call in the wake of said maneuvering.
As it turns out, it’s TJ Hopkins – not Elly De La Cruz, and not Christian Encarnacion-Strand. The Reds announced the moves on Twitter shortly before their Saturday afternoon game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The #Reds today selected the contract of OF T.J. Hopkins from Triple-A Louisville, placed OF TJ Friedl (left hamstring tightness) on the 10-day injured list retro to Wednesday and transferred LHP Nick Lodolo to the 60-day injured list. pic.twitter.com/gl2XsfN3oe
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 3, 2023
Hopkins, 26, has been knocking the snot out of the ball in Louisville alongside Elly and CES, to his credit. He’s the owner of a .977 OPS there this season after bonking 21 homers between there and AA Chattanooga last year, and the righty-swinging outfielder will provide direct cover for Friedl’s large absence in the outfield mix.
Is it what we expected from the Reds, who sit just 4 games back of the same Milwaukee club they’re playing this weekend in the National League Central Standings? Pretty much.