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With the Cincinnati Reds sitting through a rain delay Sunday at Great American Ball Park, general manager Brad Meador could have had a moment of free time to reach out to thank his Athletics counterpart, David Frost, for non-tendering JJ Bleday last offseason, leading to his Cincinnati Reds' one-year, $1.4 million deal.
Did Meador deliver a text or two when Bleday clubbed six home runs in his first 17 games with the Reds? Wonder what emojis accompanied the messages?
At the time, with a glut of outfield prospects in the system, few MLB insiders overly criticized Frost's financial philosophy.
The move, however, continues developing into one of the Athletics' top offseason regrets.
Reds' JJ Bleday benefiting from Athletics' roster miscalculation
With rising centerfield prospect Danzel Clarke apparently ready to assume a starter's role and corner outfielders Tyler Soderstrom and Lawrence Butler in the corners set for a breakout, Frost calculated the franchise couldn't afford Belday's projected arbitration salary, which would fall around the $2.2 million mark.
In three seasons with the Athletics, Bleday appeared in 339 games and posted a .224 batting average with 44 home runs and 126 RBI. In 98 appearances last season, he connected on 14 homers, but only batted .212 and drove in 39 runs. In '24, Bleday received his most extensive playing time. His defensive metrics remained pedestrian and he struck out 125 times in 572 at-bats.
Frost likely believed he was investing the franchise's money more wisely by focusing on Clarke, Soderstrom and Butler.
Opps.
Clarke, who opened this season with a .170 batting average in 22 games, remains on the 10-day injured list. Soderstrom, who entered Sunday with the team's second-most at-bats (185), was hitting .195 with five home runs. Butler was batting .168 in 137 at-bats.
Utilized up and down the Reds' batting order, Bleday continues to develop into a versatile piece of the lineup. On Saturday, he batted leadoff during the 8-1 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in the opener of a doubleheader and drew a walk in four plate appearances. In the nightcap, a 7-6 win in 11 innings, he batted third and went 0-for-5 with three strikeouts. His average dipped to .271.
Before going a combined 0-for-9 Saturday, Bleday delivered at least one hit in 15 of 22 games.
The Athletics (26-26), who entered Sunday's matchup against the host San Diego Padres on a two-game losing streak, paced the AL West by 1.5 games over the Seattle Mariners. With their outfielders going a combined 1-for-9 Saturday, the Athletics were shut out, 2-0 at Petco Park.
Wonder which emojis Frost would have selected if he messaged Meador on Saturday?
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