Due to a fractured left thumb, outfielder TJ Friedl of the Cincinnati Reds was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Monday.
In San Francisco on Sunday, Kyle Harrison of the Giants struck Friedl with the opening pitch of the game, resulting in the injury.
Before the Reds’ game against Arizona on Monday, manager David Bell announced that Friedl would be out for four to five weeks. After missing the first several weeks of the season due to a fractured right wrist sustained during spring training, the center fielder has recently made his way back.
“What an amazing teammate he is. He put a lot of effort into his comeback and his return to the game,” Bell added. “We are unable to change it. He will be alright.
Friedl was 4-for-22 (.182) in six games, with two RBIs and two stolen bases. In 138 games during the previous season, he hit.279/.352/.467 with 18 home runs and 27 stolen bases.
The Reds called up Triple-A Louisville outfielder Jacob Hurtubise to replace him. Hurtubise, a West Point alum, will be the first athlete to play in the major leagues as a result of a 2019 regulation that permits Army graduates to postpone their mandatory military duty in order to pursue a career in professional sports.
This season, injuries have severely impacted Cincinnati. First baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand (broken wrist), left-hander Brandon Williamson (left shoulder strain), and second baseman Matt McLain (left shoulder surgery) are all out.