Athletics Designate JJ Bleday for Assignment Amid Roster Changes
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The Oakland Athletics have designated outfielder JJ Bleday for assignment, as reported by Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. This move comes as the A's are preparing to add prospects Braden Nett, Junior Perez, and Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang to their 40-man roster to protect them from the Rule 5 draft.
Bleday, who was the team's Opening Day center fielder for the past two seasons, was acquired from the Miami Marlins in a one-for-one trade that sent A.J. Puk to Miami during the 2022-23 offseason. Both players were top-ten picks in their respective drafts, but their transitions to new teams did not yield the expected results.
Bleday struggled significantly in 2023, finishing with a batting average of .195 and hitting 10 home runs over 82 games. His 2022 season had shown more promise, with a career-high 20 home runs and a .243 batting average across 159 games.
However, his performance regressed in 2023, where he batted .212 with a .294 on-base percentage and a .404 slugging percentage in 344 plate appearances. Despite exhibiting power with 14 home runs, his strikeouts increased, reaching over 30% in the final months of the season.
Bleday's overall production has hovered around replacement level for two of the last three seasons. This lack of performance has been compounded by the A's positioning him in center field, a role for which he has struggled defensively, ranking as one of the least effective defensive center fielders in the league.
His service time surpassed three years this season, making him eligible for arbitration for the first time, with projections estimating a $2.2 million salary. The Athletics appear to be pivoting towards Denzel Clarke for their center field needs.
They now have three days to explore trade options for Bleday before he is non-tendered and becomes a free agent. The newly added prospects include Nett, a right-handed pitcher who had a solid season in Double-A with a 3.75 ERA and a strikeout rate of nearly 25%.
Junior Perez, also an outfielder, showed power potential with 26 home runs, while Zhuang pitched effectively in Double-A with a 4.08 ERA and excellent control. This roster move signifies the Athletics' ongoing adjustments as they look to reshape their team ahead of the upcoming season.