The Athletics just gifted the Cincinnati Reds a perfect opportunity to fix one of their biggest roster flaws, and now it’s up to president of baseball operations Nick Krall to cash in. On Tuesday, the A’s designated outfielder JJ Bleday for assignment, and the Reds must jump at the chance to bring the former first-round pick into the fold.
The Reds are operating a tight budget this offseason, and acquiring a bounce-back candidate like Bleday gives them a chance to snag a high-upside player without much cost. Bleday’s slash line from 2025 (.212/.94/.404) is rather unimpressive, but he’s just one year removed from hitting .243/.324/.437 with 20 home runs and 120 wRC+.
The 28-year-old checks a lot of boxes for the Reds, not the least of which is his ability to cover all three outfield spots. The Reds ran TJ Friedl into the ground last season and are said to be on the lookout for depth up the middle heading into 2026. Bleday played 55 games in center field for the A’s last season, but he’s a much better defender when he’s playing the corners.
A’s surprisingly DFA JJ Bleday, and the Reds must pounce at the opportunity
Bleday’s a left-handed swinger, something the Reds are short on at the moment. Cincinnati added top prospect Héctor Rodríguez to the 40-man roster this week, but most of the Reds’ bats swing from the right side of the plate. Bleday had reverse splits in 2025, but for his career has performed better against right-handed pitching.
Bleday’s always had a decent eye at the dish — consistently maintaining a walk rate above 10.5% for his career. While his strikeout and whiff rates were both rather pronounced in 2025, he doesn’t chase many pitches outside the strike zone.
Of course, the biggest attribute that’s sure to capture the Reds’ attention is the price. MLB Trade Rumors predicts Bleday will take home just $2.2 million through arbitration in 2026 and still has minor-league options remaining. He’s also under team control through the 2028 season.
A player like Bleday will be in demand, so Cincinnati cannot afford to just put in a claim and hope for the best. Krall and the Reds front office will have to work out a trade of some sort that may include a lower-level prospect in order to secure Bleday’s services.
The A’s just gave the Reds a gift, and Cincinnati can’t squander this opportunity to improve their roster given how little they have to work with this offseason. The Baltimore Orioles just paid a steep price to upgrade their outfield, and the Reds could fix theirs for pennies on the dollar.
