Reds Sign JJ Bleday

The Reds have signed outfielder JJ Bleday, according to FanSided’s Robert Murray.  MLB.com’s Mark Sheldon adds that the contract is a one-year Major League contract, and that the signing will become official once Cincinnati makes another move to clear a spot on its full 40-man roster.  Bleday is represented by Excel Sports Management.

Selected fourth overall by the Marlins in the 2019 draft, it looked like Bleday had broken out in 2024, when he hit .243/.324/.437 with 20 homers over 642 plate appearances during 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 rough (-19 Defensive Runs Saved, -3 Outs Above Average) reviews of his defensive performance in center field.

One would’ve expected that, if anything, Bleday’s bat would’ve become even more potent as the A’s moved to Sutter Health Park, yet he instead struggled through a brutal 2025 campaign.  Bleday delivered only a 90 wRC+ from a .212/.294/.404 slash line and 14 homers over 344 PA, and he played in just 98 big league games as he was twice demoted to Triple-A.  Bleday’s barrel numbers and strikeout rate both dropped off considerably from 2024, falling to below-average marks.  The A’s moved Bleday out of center field, but his glovework was still passable at best as a corner outfielder.

MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz projected Bleday to earn $2.2MM in his first of three trips through the arbitration process.  The Athletics chose to move on entirely by designating Bleday for assignment in November, and he was then cut loose at the non-tender deadline.  The Reds now control Bleday through the 2028 season, and since he has a minor league option remaining, Cincinnati can send him back to down to Triple-A if necessary.

Bleday is a left-handed hitter, which makes him something of an imperfect fit in a Reds outfield that already includes such lefty-swingers as TJ Friedl, Gavin Lux, and Will Benson.  Noelvi Marte is a right-handed hitter, but he is also likely the only outfielder slated for everyday duty in the wake of his successful transition to the right field position in 2025.  Today’s move could indicate that the Reds are thinking about parting ways with Lux or Benson, or since this entire group is pretty inexpensive, Cincinnati could wait until Spring Training to figure out exactly how the outfield playing time will be split.

A bounce-back candidate like Bleday is far from any kind of clear-cut upgrade to the Reds lineup.  Cincinnati squeaked into the postseason despite middling numbers at best in most offensive categories, and the multi-positional flexibility of most of the Reds’ current players gave the team plenty of room to maneuver in considering offseason moves.  Such names as Brandon Lowe (since dealt to the Pirates), Jake Meyers, and Luis Robert Jr. have reportedly been on the Reds’ trade radar, and the club even considered an uncharacteristic free agent splash with a five-year offer in the $125MM range for Kyle Schwarber.  However, that specific pursuit seemed linked to Schwarber’s local ties to the Cincinnati area, and the Reds are very likely not spending anything close to that number for any other 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 focusing more on trades than free agents.  If the move to Sutter Health Park didn’t agree with Bleday, perhaps playing in another hitter-friendly venue (and a proper big league stadium) like The Great American Ballpark will do the trick.  Bleday isn’t likely to be the last of the Reds’ offensive additions, as a better lineup would help the club take a step forward as true contenders.