Elly De La Cruz gets all the fanfare, but he's not the Reds' best All-Star candidate

Elly De La Cruz gets the spotlight, but TJ Friedl has been the Cincinnati Reds best player thus far in 2025. The MLB All-Star voting has opened, and while De La Cruz's name is sure to get more attention than Friedl's, fans in Cincinnati know that the Reds' centerfielder is more deserving of a spot on the NL roster for this year's Midsummer Classic.

There are numerous metrics that fans and pundits prefer when comparing players. Friedl (1.7) leads De La Cruz (1.7) in fWAR, but the Reds' shortstop (1.9) bests his outfield counterpart (1.6) in bWAR. Friedl has a higher batting average (.300), but De La Cruz has more home runs (12).

Oddly enough, while De La Cruz is lauded for his defense, Friedl's 1 out above average (OAA) is much higher than Elly's (-4 OAA). Neither Friedl (-1 DRS) nor De La Cruz (-2 DRS) receive high marks for defensive runs saved. It is impossible, however, to ignore De La Cruz's team-leading 10 errors compared to Friedl who has none.

Elly De La Cruz gets all the fanfare, but TJ Friedl is the Reds' best All-Star candidate

Expanding beyond the Reds' organization, Friedl even has a case to made against his fellow National League outfielders. Friedl leads all NL outfielders in batting average and trails only Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker in on-base percentage. As the Reds' leadoff hitter, Friedl is very adept at setting the table for those behind him in the batting order.

Friedl has just two home runs on the year, but still owns a respectable .419 slugging percentage which places him just inside the top-20 among NL outfielders. Friedl ranks among the top-15 in hits, doubles, triples, walks, and stolen bases.

The biggest hang-up for Friedl's All-Star case isn't his résumé, but his competition. The All-Star Game, at its core, is a popularity contest. As such, names like Tucker, Juan Soto, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Corbin Carroll, and Jackson Churio will gain preferential treatment over Cincinnati's centerfielder.

If Friedl continues to put up numbers, however, he'll have a chance to be named as a bench player or an alternate. At least one member of the Reds organization must be represented during the All-Star Game, and outside of the trio of De La Cruz, Friedl, and Andrew Abbott, nobody else comes close. Hunter Greene could be in the mix as well, but the right-hander is on the IL for the second time this season, which may hurt his candidacy.

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