Outfielder JJ Bleday agrees to a 1-year contract with the Reds after getting cut by the Athletics

Audio By Carbonatix

CINCINNATI (AP) — Outfielder JJ Bleday and the Cincinnati Reds agreed Saturday to a one-year contract.

The 28-year-old hit .212 with 14 homers and 39 RBIs with the Athletics this year, down from a .243 average in 2024, when he set career bests with 20 homers and 60 RBIs for Oakland.

Selected fourth overall by Miami in the 2019 amateur draft, Bleday became a free agent last month when the A's designated him for assignment and failed to offer a 2026 contract. His contract was automatically renewed by the A's last March for $770,000 while in the major leagues and had he remained on the team's 40-man roster he would have been eligible for salary arbitration for the first time.

Bleday was the A's opening-day center fielder in 2024 and ‘25. He has a .215 average with 49 homers and 142 RBIs in four seasons with the Marlins (2022) and A’s.

Right-hander Keegan Thompson was designated for assignment to open a roster spot. He agreed last month to a one-year contract calling for $1.3 million in the major leagues and $350,000 in the minors.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb