Jj Bleday Delivers Two Hits in Reds’ 17-7 Loss

jj bleday kept producing on Saturday, going 2 for 2 with a double, a home run, two RBI and three runs scored in the Reds’ 17-7 loss to the Pirates. The outfielder has turned a brief major league return into a sharp early stretch at the plate.

Bleday’s Saturday Damage

Bleday was one of the few Reds bats that did not disappear in the loss. His double and homer accounted for both of his extra-base hits, and he finished with two RBI while crossing the plate three times.

The result did not rescue Cincinnati from a 17-7 defeat, but his line added another clean night to a short sample that has been productive since he returned to the majors.

Reds Recall After Suárez Injury

The Reds recalled Bleday on April 25 after putting Eugenio Suárez on the IL. He had not opened the season on the Opening Day roster after Cincinnati signed him as a free agent in December.

That move put him back in a crowded outfield, and the early numbers have given him a case for more run. In 17 plate appearances this season, he has two home runs, four runs scored, three RBI, a.308 average and a 1.317 OPS.

Bat Speed, Old Track Record

The Statcast line matches the production. Bleday is carrying a 12.5% barrel rate, a 50% hard-hit rate and a 75% launch-angle Sweet-Spot rate, all in a tiny sample that still points to loud contact when he gets into favorable counts.

The background gives the stretch more weight. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Vanderbilt, hit 20 home runs with a.761 OPS in 642 plate appearances in 2024, then followed with 14 home runs, a.212 average and a.698 OPS in 344 plate appearances in 2025 before the Athletics designated him for assignment this offseason.

For Cincinnati, the issue is not just whether Bleday can keep hitting. It is whether these first 17 plate appearances become enough to hold a regular place while the Reds sort through multiple outfield options with upside.