10:31 AM: The contract will pay Bleday $1.4MM in guaranteed money, with more available in incentives, writes Mark Feinsand of MLB.com.
9:30 AM: The Reds signed an outfielder JJ Bledayaccording to Robert Murray of FanSided. Mark Sheldon of MLB.com adds that the contract is a one-year Major League contract, and that the signing will become official if Cincinnati makes another move to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Bleday is represented by Excel Sports Management.
Selected fourth overall by the Marlins in the 2019 draft, Bleday looked to break out in 2024, when he hit .243/.324/.437 with 20 homers over 642 plate appearances in the Athletics’ final season in Oakland. This 120 wRC+ at the plate was enough to power Bleday to 3.2 fWAR during the season, despite some very harsh (-19 Defensive Runs Saved, -3 Outs Over Average) reviews of his defensive performance in center field.
One would have expected that, if anything, Bleday’s bat would have gotten stronger as the A’s moved to Sutter Health Park, yet he struggled through a brutal 2025 campaign. Bleday only posted a 90 wRC+ from a .212/.294/.404 slash line and 14 homers over 344 PA, and played in 98 big league games as he was demoted twice to Triple-A. Bleday’s barrel numbers and strike rate both dropped significantly from 2024, down to below-average marks. UA took Bleday off the field, but his glove work was still passable as a corner outfielder.
MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz revealed that Bleday will earn $2.2MM in his first of three outings through the arbitration process. The Athletics opted to go full steam ahead by designating Bleday to the November practice, then cut by the non-tender deadline. The Reds now control Bleday through the 2028 season, and with a minor league option remaining, Cincinnati could send him back down to Triple-A if necessary.
Bleday is a left-handed hitter, making him an incomplete player in a Reds outfield that already features left-handed hitters. TJ Friedl, Gavin Luxagain Is Benson. Noelvi Marte he’s a right-handed hitter, but he’s also likely to be the only outfielder destined for everyday duty after successfully transitioning to right field in 2025. Today’s move could indicate that the Reds are considering parting ways with either Lux or Benson, or since this entire team is so cheap, Cincinnati could wait until Spring Training to find out how the playing time will differ.
A fallback candidate like Bleday is far from any sort of clear improvement in the Reds’ roster. Cincinnati made it all the way to the postseason despite very mediocre numbers in most offensive categories, and the versatility of many of the Reds’ current players gives the team a lot of leeway in considering offseason moves. Words like this Brandon Lowe (since he faced the Pirates), Jake Meyersagain Luis Robert Jr. he was reportedly on the Reds’ trade radar, and the club even took him as an undrafted free agent with a five-year offer in the $125MM range. Kyle Schwarber. However, that push appeared to be tied to Schwarber’s local relationship with the Cincinnati area, and the Reds likely aren’t spending anything close to that number to acquire another free agent bat.
In that sense, Bleday is a better fit within the Reds’ limited budget, and perhaps a sign that the Reds will be more focused on trades than free agents. If a move to Sutter Health Park doesn’t sit well with Bleday, perhaps playing in another hitter-friendly venue (and major league stadium) like The Great American Ballpark will do the trick. Bleday is unlikely to be the last of the Reds’ offensive additions, as a better set-up could help the club take a step forward as genuine contenders.
