TJ Friedl is making it impossible for the Reds to shop him at the MLB trade deadline

TJ Friedl just bailed out the Cincinnati Reds — and more specifically Elly De La Cruz — with a game-saving catch up against the wall on Tuesday night. After a De La Cruz throwing error left the door open for the Milwaukee Brewers in the ninth inning, Jake Bauers' would-be game-tying home run to center field was robbed by Friedl, and the Reds escaped with a 4-2 win.

While the season is far from over, many fans are already wondering if the Reds have the horses to compete for a spot in the MLB Postseason. The team is currently 30-32, four games back in the NL Wild Card chase, and nine games behind the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. If Cincy fails to turn things around, the team may be looking to sell rather than buy at the MLB trade deadline.

Cincinnati may indeed become sellers at this year's trade deadline, but Friedl just proved once again just how valuable he is to the Reds organization and why he shouldn't be among those players the Reds look to move prior to July 31.

TJ Friedl is making it impossible for the Reds to shop him at the MLB trade deadline

Before the Reds even consider trading Friedl at the deadline, they'd have to ask themselves, who do you replace him with? Outside of Blake Dunn (who's hitting .131/.209/.197 at Triple-A), there's nobody on the Reds 40-man roster who can even play center field. And unless Terry Francona wants to change his philosophy and move De La Cruz to the top of the batting order — which seems unlikely — the Reds don't have anyone who could replace Friedl as the team's leadoff hitter.

The Reds' best outfielder in the minor leagues, Héctor Rodríguez, is at least a year away from playing the big leagues. Given the Reds' track record when it comes to developing outfielders, there are plenty of reasons to doubt that Rodríguez will even turn into an everyday player.

Could the Reds get a nice haul at the MLB trade deadline for Friedl? Absolutely. When it comes to the type of player that many contenders will be looking for prior to July 31, Friedl checks a lot of boxes. He gets on base with regularity, has above-average speed and steal bases, plays solid defense at a premium position, and is under team-control through 2028. But for all of those reasons (and more) the Reds should keep Friedl in Cincinnati.

TJ Friedl's true value is on the Reds roster, not the trade block

Friedl isn't even scheduled to receive a pay raise until next season, and it's doubtful that he'll command anything more than $3 million during his first year of arbitration. With Jonathan India now on the Kansas City Royals roster, Friedl is the unquestioned leader in the Reds' clubhouse. The Reds lack veteran leadership already, and parting with a player like Friedl could affect the team chemistry in more ways than you can count.

As fans, it's not wrong to contemplate the type of trade package the Reds could receive if they shopped Friedl at the deadline. After watching the Reds drag their feet and receive little more than a lottery ticket for former All-Star closer Alexis Díaz, it's understandable that fans would want the team to sell-high on players who may not factor into the team's long-term plans.

But Friedl's intangibles, coupled with his play on the field and leadership in the clubhouse, will make him a tough sell for the Reds fanbase. With a superstar like De La Cruz only guaranteed to be in Cincinnati for the next four to five seasons, trading away your starting centerfielder (and one of your best players) with no legitimate replacement seems like a bad idea.

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