Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona voiced his displeasure this week after the team's decision to place veteran third baseman Eugenio Suarez and outfielder TJ Friedl on outright waivers was leaked to the press.
"For people that don’t keep it confidential, shame on them," Francona said, according to reporter Charlie Goldsmith. "You’re in a spot of leadership for whatever organization. You need to respect that. When it’s not respected, it pisses me off."
The waiver process typically gives other teams 48 hours to claim a player along with their remaining salary. Both Suarez and Friedl went unclaimed, as anticipated, and remain with the Reds for their upcoming series in Chicago. Suarez is owed approximately $3 million on his one-year, $15 million contract and has a mutual option for 2027. Friedl is expected to make about $700,000 for the remainder of the season.
Suarez, who has spent most of his career with the Reds, is experiencing a career-worst season with a .705 OPS and 19 home runs. Friedl has split time between Triple-A and the major leagues this year, posting a .476 OPS in 76 games.
Neither player is expected to remain with the Reds beyond the 2026 season, and both generated minimal interest at the trade deadline. Suarez himself stated, "I’ve got nothing to say about it. It’s not part of my job. Whatever they decide to do, it’s their business. My business is to play baseball."
Francona is in his second season managing the Reds and his 25th overall as a manager. He is the 13th manager in MLB history to reach 2,000 wins and currently holds 2,096 victories, ranking 11th on the all-time list. He is the active manager with the most wins, holding more than double the victories of other active managers with over 1,000 wins.