Reds know the painful truth that should keep JJ Bleday off the market

It’s plain to see that the Cincinnati Reds should be in “sell” mode as the trade deadline approaches. Any sense of hope established by the team’s surprise run to the postseason in 2025 has evaporated.

That, unfortunately, means that the brightest spots on the roster could be on their way out of town. For the sake of the franchise and the fan base, one player should be regarded as untouchable: JJ Bleday.

Bleday is finally making good on the promise that enticed the Miami Marlins to draft him fourth overall in 2019. He has cut his strikeouts, increased his walks, and tapped into his power. He’s well on his way to a career high in homers and RBI.

Even better, he’s making just $1.4 million and has two more years of arbitration before hitting free agency. In short, he is the perfect trade bait. But he could also be a vital cog in Cincinnati’s machine moving forward.

The Reds must consider what they have rather than what they could get for JJ Bleday

The Reds once had a host of outfielders that could bounce between Triple-A and the big leagues: Rece Hinds, Will Benson, Jake Fraley, Stuart Fairchild, Blake Dunn. Of that group that began the 2025 season in the Reds organization, Benson and Dunn remain, although the former was outrighted to the minors and the latter is on the IL. This lack of depth makes Bleday more valuable than ever.

On top of that, Spencer Steer, who has served as a fourth outfielder, is also garnering trade interest. His versatility (he has played every position except catcher, shortstop, and pitcher this season alone) and his reliability (he’s on track for his fourth straight 20-homer season) make him a solid low-risk option for teams, especially those struggling against lefties.

Like Bleday, Steer is under contract through 2028. The Reds should get a pretty decent return on Steer, but his departure would certainly necessitate Cincinnati keeping Bleday.

There is some risk here. Bleday had a similarly strong season in 2024 and regressed to such a point in 2025 that the Athletics cut ties with him. His expected statistics indicate that he’s over-performing, especially in slugging, but I’d rather see Bleday come down to earth a bit in a Reds uniform than suffer through a lineup of Noelvi Marte, TJ Friedl, and Ivan Johnson for the remainder of the season.

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