Reds could regret waiting too long to make JJ Bleday a priority

JJ Bleday hit for the cycle on Saturday night in Phoenix, going 4-for-6 with a solo home run in the sixth inning that gave him 21 home runs for the season. The 28-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Reds after being designated for assignment by Oakland last November and was promoted to the majors in late April following a strong start at Triple-A Louisville. The Reds rejected trade offers for Bleday ahead of the August 3 deadline, signaling they view him as a future cornerstone, though they currently lack long-term contracts with most of their impact position players. Cincinnati will need to decide whether to extend Bleday before he reaches free agency after 2028, as waiting risks either a significantly higher price tag or losing him entirely if he repeats his strong 2026 performance.

Summary written by MLB Feed Network based on the original reporting. How we write summaries