New opportunity, old swing paying off for Bleday this spring

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- For JJ Bleday to improve his chances of making the Reds’ roster out of camp amid a pool of several other outfielders, his left-handed swing needed to be tip-top again.

The contact Bleday's swing has made this spring bodes well entering the final week.

“I like the fact that he’s trying to make some adjustments with that swing, because he’s got a gorgeous swing," Reds manager Terry Francona said on Saturday. "I think he [previously had] a little extra movement in there."

Thinking it was a good idea at the time entering last season with the A's, Bleday made adjustments to his hitting approach that not only didn't help him, they plummeted his numbers.

The 2025 season featured two demotions to Triple-A for Bleday, who batted .212 with a .698 OPS, 14 home runs and 39 RBIs in 98 big league games.

"I thought it was going to benefit me, and it didn’t benefit me," Bleday said. "I felt like last year I was double loading. I was trying to simplify everything, and I simplified too much."

In 2024, Bleday batted .243 with a .761 OPS, a career-high 20 homers and 60 RBIs in 159 games. Non-tendered after the ‘25 season, Bleday found a new home with the Reds when he signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract on Dec. 27.

Knowing he would be given a fresh start with new eyes evaluating him this spring, Bleday scrapped the 2025 approach and went back to the one that had worked for him previously.

“I’m trying to be more fluid and less stoppy," the 28-year-old said. "I’m kind of going back to how I was moving in 2024, and I feel it’s really paid off so far. I’m hitting the ball hard. I feel like I’ve never hit the ball this hard in my career. It feels good. I’m fluid to the zone.”

It's shown this spring, as Bleday has batted .294 with an .880 OPS in 12 games, including a double in a 1-for-3 effort against the Rangers on Saturday. His two home runs were scorched. On Feb. 25 vs. the White Sox, he connected at 110.2 mph for a homer that traveled a Statcast-projected 464 feet at Camelback Ranch. On March 9 vs. his former club, the A's, he connected at 110.9 mph for a 423-foot drive at Goodyear Ballpark.

“You’re going up trying to hit the ball hard. Obviously you don’t want to really try to do it, because then you’ll break down. But it’s just good to see that it’s naturally happening," Bleday said.

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While Spring Training numbers and home run distances can sometimes be inflated in Arizona, Bleday's swing and good contact should translate well at his new home field. With its cozy dimensions, Great American Ball Park is often especially kind to lefty hitters.

In his limited sample of hitting in Cincinnati, Bleday is 9-for-31 (.290), with five extra-base hits (two homers and three doubles).

"I think it just naturally plays into your swing if you stick with your approach and take good swings," Bleday said. "Then good things like that will just naturally happen.”

The other area where Bleday went backwards last season was defense, likely a byproduct of taking his offensive woes onto the field along with playing home games at the A's temporary home in a Minor League park in Sacramento. He was a negative fielder by Outs Above Average at all three outfield positions, most notably in center (-5 OAA).

With Cincinnati, Bleday is only expected to play both corner outfield spots. Offseason training included trying to raise his game defensively. That also has shown this spring.

"He’s been a good defender. He’s been really good," Francona said.

“Right now, I’m really honing in on my pre-pitch routine and just trying to get into a good position to make a good jump," Bleday said. "Speed has never really been the issue. I’ve always had above-average speed. My issue and what I’ve been working on is trying to get the best jump that I can. If I can get a good jump, then I’m going to make better decisions and get to more balls.”

After such a poor season last year, Bleday is appreciative of the reset he's been given with Cincinnati and the chance to prove himself again.

“It feels good being in a new clubhouse, like a fresh start with new colors," he said. "You don’t want to go out and just try to impress everyone. You've just got to stick to your game plan and stick to your approach. And just trust that. I think everything else will take care of itself in terms of decisions and whatnot.”