Reds agree to deal with outfielder Bleday

CINCINNATI -- In a move that appeared to bring their outfield picture into clearer focus, the Reds agreed to terms on a one-year, $1.4 million contract with former Athletics outfielder JJ Bleday, the Reds announced on Saturday.

A 28-year-old left-handed hitter, Bleday can play all three outfield positions.

Much like they did after signing free-agent outfielder Austin Hays the previous offseason, the Reds will hope for a bounce-back season for Bleday. Hays was derailed by three stints on the injured list, so Cincinnati will also seek a more positive outcome.

Over 98 games for the A's in 2025, Bleday batted .212 with a .698 OPS, 14 home runs and 39 RBIs. He was also optioned to Triple-A twice during the season. Bleday's numbers were significantly lower than during his best year, 2024, when he batted .243 with a .761 OPS, a career-high 20 homers and 60 RBIs in 159 games.

Bleday's defense also regressed, and he produced negative Outs Above Average at all three outfield positions, most notably in center (-5 OAA). The A's designated him for assignment on Nov. 18 and non-tendered him on Nov. 21, making Bleday a free agent for the first time in his career.

The fourth overall pick by the Marlins in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt, Bleday was one of MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects at the time of his Major League debut with Miami in 2022. After hitting just .167 with a .586 OPS in 238 plate appearances, Bleday was dealt to the A’s before the 2023 season for a fellow first-round Draft pick, left-hander A.J. Puk. Bleday posted similar numbers in 2023 (.195 BA, .666 OPS) before a major improvement in 2024, leading the A’s with 43 doubles and hitting better than all but a few everyday center fielders.

Despite Bleday’s down year in 2025, there were still some positives, including his plate discipline. The outfielder walked at a clip greater than 10% for the fourth consecutive season to begin his career, and his 24.9% chase rate on pitches outside the strike zone was above average. Although his defensive range in the outfield was poor in 2025, Bleday possesses a strong throwing arm: His average arm strength ranked in the 81st percentile of MLB.

The Reds entered the offseason looking for more offense in the middle of the order behind Elly De La Cruz. They were in the mix of teams competing for superstar free agent Kyle Schwarber, but they fell short of bringing the designated hitter to his hometown team.

While unable to land Schwarber, Cincinnati addressed its bullpen by re-signing closer Emilio Pagán to a two-year, $20 million contract, lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson to a one-year, $4.5 million contract and right-handed reliever Keegan Thompson to a one-year, $1.3 million deal.

Thompson was designated for assignment to make room on the roster for Bleday.

The Reds' 2026 payroll is unchanged from the 2025 Opening Day budget of around $112 million. It is unclear if there is room in the budget for more offensive additions.