Swing votes? Why JJ Bleday belongs in our Reds All-Star Power Rankings
CLEVELAND It must be the swing. The sweet, left-handed swing. The swing that made scouts drool when he led the nation in home runs at Vanderbilt. That made the Miami Marlins bet the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 draft on him.The swing that had Cincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona raving all spring, right up until the Reds optioned outfielder JJ Bleday to the minors to start the season.That lasted a month. Bleday and the swing are back. And theyve been the best things going in the Reds lineup since he first took the field for the Reds on April 26.So good, in fact, he may be playing himself into a place in the All-Star conversation if this keeps up. And if you dont think he has time to do that, then you havent been paying attention to just how lofty his numbers have been among the league leaders since his season debut (top 6 in home runs, slugging, on-base percentage, OPS, RBI and sweet lefty swings).Reds player moves Rece Hinds Cincinnati Reds designate Rece Hinds for assignment; Jose Trevino to ILHeck, Jacob Misiorowski made the NL All-Star team last year after just five starts with the Brewers, even if the selection was admittedly more about marketing than merit. Paul Skenes debuted May 11 the year before and made the All-Star team. Francisco Liriano didnt start a game until May 19 in 2006 and made the All-Star team as a starter.Outfielder Mike Trout didnt play his first game in 2012 until April 28 and earned his first All-Star bid that year. So plenty of precedent among both pitchers and hitters.And dont doubt the swing.How much does Francona still like it?Very, he said.Bleday, who says its a breath of fresh air playing for this team since signing as an Athletics free agent, doesnt know about the All-Star thing at this point. But he knows why he likes playing for the Reds: Francona and opportunity.Its a change of pace, a fresh, clean start, he said. New guys. Something to prove in a way again. You kind of have a chance to breathe from where I was and just get another shot at it and also get closer to home (central Pennsylvania).I feel I had a very short leash with the As last year. I obviously didnt perform up to my standards that I wanted to, he said, adding that Francona has been part of the sense of renewal and opportunity. Ive never had a presence like that in a manager. He keeps it very professional, very respectful. And hes got so much experience to where when we were struggling, he knows how to talk to us.It might be easy to forget that this guy had 43 doubles, 20 home runs and a .763 OPS as recently as 2024, in his first chance to play a full season. Never mind the fact he was a No. 4 overall pick, three spots ahead of teammate Nick Lodolo and 12 ahead of superstar Corbin Carroll.This games so challenging, regardless of where you get drafted, Bleday said. You could be the No. 1 overall pick. It literally doesnt matter where you get drafted. Everyones got a story. Youve got to work hard. And youve got to find the recipe thats going to help you perform each day and trust that process.Who knows where that will land him in the voting once fan ballots open later this month and player ballots for reserves go out a week or so after that?He already is tied for fourth on the team in home runs and third in RBIs through just 18 games since his April 26 callup. And was among the leagues top five in most major offensive categories in that span.A first All-Star selection?It would be awesome, he said. But right now, its still early in the season. Im just trying to show up every day and give my best and just be prepared and take it one at-bat at a time and not get too far ahead of myself.Leave that to us.With that, heres the Enquirers first 2026 Reds All-Star Candidates Power Rankings.Check out where Bleday lands:1. RHP Chase BurnsAll-Star candidate? This guy is pitching like a way-too-early Cy Young candidate.Heading into a big test against Kyle Schwarbers Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, Burns (5-1) leads National League pitchers in bWAR (2.5), ranks second in ERA (1.87), seventh in WHIP (1.000), seventh in innings (53) and 10th in strikeouts (55).Hes throwing 100 mph and hes pounding the zone, and hes competing, Bleday said. Hes not afraid to show guys that heater regardless of the count. Hes just fearless out there.Hes got that veteran presence on the mound even though hes been in the league for, what, a year, if that. Pure talent.2. SS Elly De La CruzSure, hes the usual suspect on a list like this. But hes doing unusual things in the early going, even for him.Most dramatically, the switch-hitter is hitting better from the right side than he ever has, forcing opponents to reconsider the career book on him. In roughly one-third the number of plate appearances righty as lefty, De La Cruz had exactly as many home runs (five) and runs batted in (15) against both righties and lefties (until adding an 11th homer off righty Gavin Williams Sunday).And he has a .292 batting average and eye-popping .994 OPS against those lefties.And whether the ABS challenge system is helping him better force pitchers into the zone, hes chasing outside the zone by a significant margin this year, ranking in the 75th percentile of MLB hitters this year compared to middle of the pack (46th percentile) last year.His whole game has been more consistent, Francona said. But the right-handed (success) is probably the biggest thing. There are days he used to get beat up (by lefties) where hes not now.3. OF JJ BledayDude had back-to-back three-hit games in victories over Washington and Cleveland in the past week and earned starts even against left-handers since bringing that swing back to the big club.Hes given us a big lift, Francona said. Youre pulling for everybody, obviously. But when a guy comes up and does that and it looks real it makes you feel (good).Real?Sometimes guys get called up and that first week nobody knows them, they might get hot and then you know somethings coming. But hes got a good swing.4. 1B/3B Sal StewartMay hasnt been kind to the Las Vegas favorite for NL Rookie of the Year, but April was a team-carrying, off-the-charts love fest for Stewart, who earned NL rookie of the month honors.Hes shown signs in recent days of stirring from a weeks-long slump. And something in between that April and half-May performance over the next month or so should put Stewart in the middle of the conversation for would be an especially impressive honor for a rookie an honor that would come exactly one year after he played in the minor-league All-Star Futures Game.Fan ballots for starting lineups open later this month. Player ballots for All-Star reserves go out in three or four weeks.5. LF/1B/RF/2B Spencer SteerOn April 17, Steer was hitting .190 and slugging .381. He was out of the starting the starting lineup the next day, but then came off the bench in the ninth, singled and scored the winning run.And he hasnt looked back.The versatile Steer, who was a Gold Glove finalist at first base last year and already played five positions this year, was 29-for-93 (.312) in his last 26 games through Saturday with four home runs, a .396 on-base percentage and .891 OPS.Thats an All-Star-level pace if he keeps that up.And then he singled in each of his first two at-bat Sunday to extend his road hitting streak to 15 games (longest current streak in MLB).This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Why JJ Bleday belongs in our Reds All-Star Candidates Power Rankings
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