Reds' TJ Friedl hopes he's back on track after a bunt, bloops and a blast in win

CINCINNATI — As soon as Ke’Bryan Hayes led off the second inning of Saturday’s 9-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers, Cincinnati Reds assistant hitting coach Alex Peláez knew exactly what TJ Friedl was going to do — bunt.Peláez was Friedl’s hitting coach at what was then High-A Daytona and at Triple-A Louisville before joining the Reds’ big-league staff for the 2025 season. He’s seen plenty of Friedl since 2017, when Friedl first played for him. When things aren’t going well for Friedl, who entered Saturday hitting just .159, he will always look for an opportunity to bunt as a way to reset himself physically.Advertisement