Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl (side) left Thursday's game early against the New York Mets with soreness in his side in the sixth inning. He will undergo an MRI exam. The 27-year-old likely tweaked his side during a swing in the bottom of the fifth inning. Before departing, Friedl went 0-for-3 with a strikeout in the 5-0 win to drop his batting average to a robust .306 on the season. He was replaced in center field by Stuart Fairchild. We'll know more about Friedl's injury on Thursday night and whether or not the injury is serious enough to land him on the injured list. The left-handed hitter came into Thursday's game hitting a strong .314 (38-for-121) with five doubles, three triples, three home runs, 18 RBI and four stolen bases in 36 games for Cincy.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl is absent from the starting lineup for Saturday's contest with the Oakland Athletics. The 27-year-old has been productive with the bat, slashing .303/.357/.438 with a pair of homers and stolen bases, and has added eight runs and 11 RBI through 26 games. But with left-hander Kyle Muller on the hill for the A's, it's a good opportunity to give Friedl a rest, considering his .745 OPS versus southpaws. Kevin Newman is taking his spot in the lineup, playing shortstop and batting sixth. The lefty killer owns a .572 OPS this season but is slashing .318/.348/.591 against left-handers, so he looks like a perfect option for fantasy managers that need a shortstop.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl stayed hot at the plate in Monday's 8-1 win over the Rays, going 1-for-3 with a double, four RBI, and a walk. The 27-year-old has gotten off to a nice start at the plate, slashing .304/.371/.518 with two home runs and nine RBI. The Reds' lineup isn't great, but they do have the benefit of playing their home games in hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park. Friedl is rostered in just 14 percent of leagues, making him worth a look in deep leagues.

The Cincinnati Reds placed outfielder TJ Friedl (hamstring) on the 10-day injured list on Tuesday with a right hamstring strain and activated catcher Aramis Garcia (finger) from the 60-day injured list in a corresponding move. The Reds also activated right-hander Robert Dugger (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list and designated him for assignment. The 27-year-old Friedl will miss the team's final two regular season games this week. In his first full MLB season this year, Friedl finishes with a .240/.314/.436 slash line with eight home runs, 25 RBI, 33 runs scored and seven stolen bases in 258 plate appearances and 72 games.

Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl couldn't provide a hit in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, going 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout. The 27-year-old is now hitting .150 in his past seven contests. Although that's not pretty, Friedl's been productive over 68 games, slashing .245/.319/.449 with eight home runs, 33 runs, 25 RBI, and seven steals. The Reds tend to bench the lefty against southpaws, so he should only be used as a deep bench player, or fantasy managers can stream him in favorable matchups.