Reds recall – Cincinnati recalled Noelvi Marte from Triple-A Louisville ahead of the series finale against the Kansas City Royals and optioned TJ Friedl back to Triple-A after a difficult start to 2026. The moves underline how quickly the Reds are reshuffling their young ta
For the Reds, Wednesday arrived with a familiar kind of urgency—one roster spot is ready for a spark, another needs a reset.
Ahead of the series finale against the Kansas City Royals, Cincinnati called up Noelvi Marte from Triple-A Louisville. The transaction was direct: “The Reds today recalled from Triple-A Louisville OF Noelvi Marte and optioned to Louisville OF TJ Friedl (post-game 6/2).”
Marte arrives with belief attached to his name. He has shown in the past that he has the tools to be a great hitter for Cincinnati. even if he has struggled to stick on the roster. That history has been hard to ignore in a clubhouse that has also seen major infield decisions up close—when the Reds signed Eugenio Suárez. it didn’t help Marte’s case.
So the Reds keep moving the pieces. Earlier this season. Cincinnati traded one of its young. talented players—Christian Encarnacion-Strand—to the Baltimore Orioles. a deal that signaled the organization was trying to create room for more upcoming prospects. That trade was followed by the call-up of Edwin Arroyo, the Reds’ No. 3 prospect, and now Marte gets his latest turn.
At the same time, TJ Friedl is headed the other direction. Friedl debuted with the Reds in 2021. and he has played at least 72 games with the team since 2022. including two seasons of 138+ games. But 2026 has started rough. Friedl hit only .179 with two home runs and a .515 OPS. His WAR sits at a career-worst of -0.6. Cincinnati is betting that a return to Triple-A can help him regain confidence.
The numbers behind the roster crunch don’t flatter either side of the decision. On the season, Marte is hitting .138 with zero home runs and zero RBIs, with just four hits in 29 at-bats. Still. the timing suggests the Reds are searching for the kind of lift that could matter quickly inside the NL Central.
Every team in the division has a winning record, and the Reds sit 5th at 31-29—close enough that patience can’t stretch too far, but complicated enough that one hot stretch could change the conversation fast.
The trade of Encarnacion-Strand created room for more prospects. and Arroyo’s call-up showed the club was already willing to accelerate new options. Now Marte’s promotion and Friedl’s demotion create the next chapter of that gamble—one player stepping forward for a real shot. another handed a clear chance to work his way back.
For Cincinnati, the roster moves don’t just reflect depth. They reflect pressure—because in a division where everyone is still winning, the margin for waiting runs thin.
Cincinnati Reds Noelvi Marte TJ Friedl Triple-A Louisville Kansas City Royals NL Central roster moves Christian Encarnacion-Strand Edwin Arroyo Eugenio Suárez