Everyone needs to get over Reds' TJ Friedl breaking up a perfect game with a bunt

Those who still had doubts about which team in the majors has the best bullpen should not after what the Cleveland Guardians were able to do on Wednesday. In a bullpen game, they held the Cincinnati Reds without a base runner through six innings, attempting to become the first team in MLB history to throw a combined perfect game.

Reds outfielder TJ Friedl would have none of it, though, as he dropped a perfectly placed bunt on the first pitch thrown by Tim Herrin, resulting in a single. This not only broke the perfect game, but it also broke any chance that they had at a combined no-hitter.

Friedl choosing to do this with a bunt caused many Guardians fans to be up in arms, including their official Twitter account.

As bad as bunting for a hit to break up a perfect game might look, there really should be no complaints from anyone.

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TJ Friedl deserves praise, not criticism for controversial bunt decision

The bottom line of this situation is that while the Guardians were throwing a perfect game, it was a 2-0 game. A bloop and a blast would've tied the game in an eye blink. Knowing this, Friedl did his best to try and get something going against a really tough left-hander and was successful. Not only did the Reds desperately need a base runner, but he was facing a pitcher who has allowed left-handed hitters to do practically nothing all year.

Lefties are now slashing .135/.214/.157 with a total of two extra-base hits in 99 plate appearances against Herrin this season. Chances are, Friedl, a player with an OPS over 60 points lower against left-handers than right-handers, wasn't going to come up with a hit without doing something like this.

“That’s what I do, there’s no surprise,” Friedl said, h/t MLB.com. “I’ve gotten a lot of bunt hits off lefties, and I’m playing the ballgame. It was a 2-0 game, and they had a perfect game. My job is to get on base for the guys behind me, and I did it all last year. That’s not going to change.”

Friedl's job as the lead-off hitter that inning was to set the table with their best hitters looming on deck. The bunt single started a rally which led to a Reds run, cutting Cleveland's lead in half.

Even Guardians manager Steven Vogt understood where Friedl was coming from with this attempt.

“It’s a 2-0 game,” Vogt said, h/t MLB.com. “Yeah, there’s a perfect game on the line, but they’re trying to win a game. It’s a tough left-on-left matchup. … It’s a good baseball play. You can’t knock him for trying to get something going. Like I said, left-handed hitter trying to face Tim Herrin. He’s got to try to find a way to get on base.”

Had it been an 8-0 game or a different lopsided score then sure, bunting would be cowardly and something worth getting annoyed about. That's not what this situation was. The Reds were right in this game and did what they could to try and get back into this game.

Another factor that played into this decision was the fact that it was a combined perfect game, something that many players and fans believe doesn't mean as much as one pitcher throwing a perfect game. Had the starter still been in the game in that situation, Friedl might've changed his approach.

“If it was a starter in the seventh inning, that’s a little different than a bullpen game with their fifth pitcher on the mound,” Friedl said, h/t MLB.com. “I’m trying to win a ballgame, and for me to do that, I’ve got to try to get on base.”

Winning the game was the most important factor, so even if the starting pitcher was in, Friedl, one of the best bunters in the league, might've still tried to kickstart a rally by dropping one down. Had he done that in a 2-0 game against a starter, it would've been more annoying, but again, is not worth fighting about as winning is always the top priority. Had it been a blowout, he might've resisted the urge to bunt.

Is it unfortunate that we were robbed of potential history because of a bunt? Absolutely. Is it something we should still be upset about? Absolutely not. Friedl was trying to win the game for his team, and starting a rally against a tough left-hander with a bunt was a smart baseball play. Winning the game is more important than worrying about the reaction he might get for breaking up the perfect game.