JJ Bleday is the one Mark Kotsay figures he’ll remember.
After 339 games and 44 home runs over the past three seasons with the Athletics, Bleday was non-tendered by the A’s over the winter after struggling last year, rather than deal with the first year of arbitration eligibility for the former top-50 prospect in baseball.
“He’s a player that sits in my mind as a guy that I’ll look back on in my career,” said Kotsay, the A’s fifth-year manager, “and hopefully learn how to connect and how to help a player through those times in a better way.”
The Cincinnati Reds bought low on Bleday – a former No. 4 overall draft pick – with a $1.4 million deal in December, and it’s already paying off with a National League Player of the Month performance that has been one of the rare success stories for the Reds since April.
“Sometimes a change of scenery helps,” Kotsay said. “Thankfully, on my end, he’s having success. I couldn’t be more excited about it.”
Bleday, 28, hit another home run Sunday on a day he reached base twice again, his 12th homer of the year putting him one off the team lead in just 42 games since making his Reds debut April 26. He didn’t make the club out of spring training, mostly because of roster math and contract statuses, but he has been the team’s top hitter since, including a team-leading .931 OPS entering the week.
So did the A’s screw up by letting Bleday go?
“That’s a question for them,” Bleday said.
The A’s aren’t going that far. But their old friend does seem missed, even in a season the A’s are getting plenty of offensive production the year after their youth movement of productive players became part of squeezing out Bleday.
“There’s no doubt that he has this type of capabilities,” Kotsay said. “I want nothing better than for JJ Bleday to be the player that we saw in ’24 that really had an impact on our success. This kid is uber-talented, and I’m thankful he landed in a great spot. He’s got a great manager with him, and the confidence is really at a level that it should be right now for JJ.”
He looked like part of the A’s future in 2024, when they looked like they were turning a competitive corner and Bleday hit 20 home runs with 43 doubles and 67 walks during his first season of full-time play (159 games).
After an offseason of work Bleday aimed at building on that success, he struggled in ’25, lost playing time and watched as other young players took on bigger roles.
“I think a combination of things probably happened,” said one of his best friends on the A’s, Brent Rooker. “I think he didn’t perform at the level he was capable of obviously. And then sometimes a change of scenery helps. Sometimes having a good offseason and making adjustments helps.”
A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz, the AL’s Player of the Month in May, said the same thing about the power of a change of scenery.
“He needed it, and I’m really happy to see him be successful,” Kurtz said, “wherever he’s at.”
With two more years of arbitration eligibility, Bleday has a shot to be part of the Reds’ future if the left-handed swing Reds manager Terry Francona keeps raving about continues producing.
“Everything happens for a reason,” said Bleday, who seems to be enjoying his new home as much as he’s thriving in it. “It’s great. Just being in a new place, new stadium, closer to home, closer to my family, new colors, everything.
“It’s good to have a fresh start, that newness feeling again of trying to prove yourself basically.”
But the offensive rebound isn’t all about change of scenery.
“It’s a bit of everything,” Bleday said. “It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it is. I worked really hard this offseason to be better than what I was last year. And I did everything I could to put myself in position to be an everyday big leaguer again. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly, but it’s cool seeing the results.”
The way he has hit since his season debut, he might even get a first career All-Star bid out of the results.
“Talent-wise, it’s always been there,” said Rooker, a two-time All-Star. “And the production’s matching it now, which is super exciting. If he continues to perform he should definitely be on that team.”
Bleday said he’s more worried about getting the team wins than getting an All-Star selection.
“Just trying to focus on today,” he said.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: How ‘uber-talented’ JJ Bleday ‘sits in (A’s) mind’ after Reds success
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
