The Cincinnati Reds have work to do this offseason, and JJ Bleday looks like the name that could draw the most trade attention.
After a 2026 season that ended with the Reds in last place in the National League Central and stuck at 75 wins, the front office can’t afford to stand pat again. That was the mistake at the trade deadline, when Nick Krall, Brad Meador and the rest of the organization chose not to move expiring contracts or other valuable pieces and instead chased an unlikely playoff push. This winter is a different test, and it comes with added uncertainty because the collective bargaining agreement expires on December 1 and a potential lockout is looming.
Bleday gives Cincinnati one of the few realistic paths to a meaningful return. The Reds picked him up in December of 2025 for $1.4 million after the Athletics designated him for assignment, and the deal has already shown both his upside and his volatility.
He was 10 percent below league average with a 90 OPS+ in 2025 for Oakland, batting .212 with a .698 OPS and 14 home runs in 98 games. Once he got to Cincinnati, though, he took off quickly enough to win the National League’s Player of the Month for May after opening the year in Triple-A.
The bat didn’t stay hot forever. Bleday cooled off after May, but he still delivered enough to matter for the Reds, including a career-high in home runs, a 105 OPS+ and a cycle on August 22. Before that four-hit game, he was in a deep funk, batting .164 with a .521 OPS in the month.
“It’s trying to repeat the swing as often as you can,” Bleday told Charlie Goldsmith. “There have been struggles with that and some success with that.
I want to finish stronger, especially with guys in scoring position. For me, that’s been a weak point.”
Even with the uneven finish, this may be the moment when his value is at its highest. He has two years of team control left, he’s still only 28 and he’ll play next season at age 29.
The Reds need outfield help, and Bleday’s power fits behind Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart. But with no immediate help coming from Triple-A, the front office has to weigh fit against return.
Cincinnati was clearly intrigued by him when it brought him in. Krall said last offseason that the club believed it could get him back to his 2024 form and count on him as a major offensive piece for 2026.
"Two years ago, you looked at what he was. I think he was a three-WAR player."
Krall told MLB Network last offseason. "He obviously got non-tendered, and we saw an opportunity to bring in a guy that has a chance to compete for a spot.
In limited action, he had 17 doubles and 14 home runs last year and adds a little bit of left-handed power to your club. He can play in different situations.
I’m just really excited to add him and a veteran presence that knows how to play the game."
Bleday did give the Reds much of what they hoped for. He hit a career-high 24 home runs, and his OPS finished 22 points lower than it was in 2024. That makes him a tricky decision for Cincinnati: good enough to matter, valuable enough to move, and one of the few players on the roster who could realistically bring back a return that helps now or later.
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