Bleday 'wouldn't trade anything' for red-hot success with Cincy to start '26

CINCINNATI – As a free agent before he signed with the Reds in December, outfielder JJ Bleday sensed it would be a good fit for him in Cincinnati.

As a teenager, Bleday had played select travel baseball in the city and enjoyed it. Cincinnati isn't that far from his native Pittsburgh or his current home in the Philadelphia area. But for his career, Cincinnati has Great American Ball Park – notorious for its shorter dimensions on the right-field side.

"It’s a lefty’s ballpark," said Bleday, who signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract.

Specifically, it's where lefty hitters can feast while turning what often would be routine fly balls at other stadiums into home runs.

"You’re going to get rewarded for contact as a lefty here and if you can just hit mistakes, it just has to go over the fence. Get in good counts, hit a mistake and then let the park do whatever it does," Bleday said.

So far, it's been a perfect marriage for Bleday and the Reds. In 45 games, he is batting .265 with a .939 OPS, 13 home runs and 35 RBIs. He's among the National League leaders in several categories and could be a candidate for selection next month to the All-Star Game.

Bleday is well on his way to smashing his career high of 20 homers, which he did while playing 159 games for the Athletics in 2024. His '25 season was disastrous all-around as he batted .212 with a .698 OPS and 14 homers in 98 games while seeing his defense regress. Twice, he was demoted to Triple-A.

After the season, Bleday was non-tendered and hit the open market.

"Our guys, I give them credit. They liked what they saw," manager Terry Francona said this week about the front office's decision to sign Bleday.

Bleday, 28, didn't make Cincinnati's Opening Day roster despite a strong performance in Spring Training. A numbers crunch with a crowded outfield made him a final cut and he started at Triple-A Louisville.

In his first game for the Reds after being recalled, Bleday hit a home run to right-center field against the Tigers on April 26.

“He’s been really good for us," third baseman Eugenio Suárez said. "I’m so happy he’s been having good success. He’s been doing really well. I feel like every time he’s up, he’s got a chance to hit a homer. It’s really nice to have him. He’s big for us right now.”

Suárez was among numerous Reds injuries during a disastrous six-week stretch for the club that also included Elly De La Cruz going down on May 31. While others struggled to hit, Bleday effectively helped carry the Reds at the plate last month while batting .301 with eight homers, 25 RBIs and led the NL with a 1.018 OPS (min. 75 plate appearances). He was named that league's Player of the Month Award winner for May.

“Last month was probably the best baseball I’ve played in my career in the big leagues," Bleday said. "I love playing here. I really enjoy my time here every day and thus far this season. It’s been a good fit.”

During Monday's 12-0 win over the Mets, Bleday tied Sal Stewart for the team lead in homers with a three-run shot to – of course – right field.

“I thought it was a little further than what it was. Thankfully, we were playing here at Great American Ball Park to where it went out," he said. "Get in good counts, hit a mistake and then let the park do whatever it does.”

It's not like Bleday can only hit well at home. On the road this season, he has five homers and an .801 OPS.

Bleday's overall walk rate is up this season to 13.8 percent from 10.5 percent in 2025 while his strikeout rate has dramatically shrunk from 26.5 percent to 17.3 percent. And as MLB.com's Brett Maguire showed last month, he has improved bat speed and quality of contact.

Add a dose of increased confidence, and the outcome has been success.

“Confidence is huge. He’s confident. He should be," Francona said. "He’s done it for long enough that if he gets a couple of 0-fers, it doesn’t derail him, which is big.”

Save for his demotion ahead of the season, things couldn't have worked out better for Bleday and the Reds.

“I couldn’t ask for anything more," Bleday said. "No one wants to start in Triple-A and all that, but everything happens for a reason and everything has worked out. I wouldn’t trade anything right now for how things have ended up.”