Reds have to hope this trade deadline gamble doesn't haunt them in 2027

Just in rental inventory alone, the Cincinnati Reds had a war chest of assets they could have moved to revitalize their talent pipeline. Had they considered trading other controllable players who might not fit completely with their core going forward, they could have gotten even greater prizes coming back their way.

Instead, Nick Krall decided to mostly stand pat. Veterans Nathaniel Lowe and Caleb Ferguson got shipped out, bringing back just a lottery-ticket-type arm in Alejandro Rivera and some international bonus pool money. It appears as if the Reds were concerned about how they'd fill out the roster had they sold more aggressively.

There was probably a middle ground, where if the club was smart, they could have capitalized on their highest-value chips, while holding the less desirable ones to serve as placeholders until the offseason.

That brings us to JJ Bleday. The market was light on bats in general, and outfielders were in high demand. Had Cincinnati made a concerted effort to move him, they'd have found a laundry list of interested suitors. That could have resulted in a real haul.

Bleday is under team control through 2028, meaning Cincinnati didn't have to trade him at the deadline, but simply waiting until the offseason doesn't mean that they'll get equivalent value.

For one thing, there will be less desperation. No one's playoff hopes will be on the line. Additionally, interested teams can also consider free-agent options, taking leverage away from the Reds.

With that said, the main reason that holding on to Bleday might be a huge mistake has to do with Bleday himself. He might prove down the stretch to the rest of the league that he's simply not that good.

JJ Bleday's August slump could kill his trade value, leading to a huge Reds' regret

After signing a minor league free agent deal with Cincinnati over the winter, Bleday didn't make the roster out of spring training. However, the 28-year-old raked down in Louisville and soon faced his way up. Since his call-up through May 31, he slashed .303/.398/.642 with nine homers over 128 plate appearances.

It was that performance that put Bleday on the map for contenders at the deadline, but since the calendar turned to August, he's hitting just .132/.267/.237, which is good for a .504 OPS. If that continues, cracks will form in the facade he's built as a productive power-hitting lefty bat.

Bleday's performance goes deeper than that, though. After that hot start, he also went ice cold in June, posting a .611 OPS. He rebounded in July, but didn't come anywhere close to his early-season heights, posting a .745 OPS that is likely closer to his true talent level.

Remember, Bleday was cut loose by the Athletics for a reason. There was logic as to why he was forced into a minor league deal as well. He posted a .698 OPS last season and entered 2026 with a career .702 mark, both of which represent slightly below-average offensive performance to go along with his slightly below-average defense.

If he continues to slump down the stretch, it will become apparent that the surge he experienced at the beginning of the season was a mirage, and this is the kind of player he is, essentially a slightly below-average outfielder in all facets. If that happens, the Reds will regret not moving him at the peak of his value.

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