JJ Bleday, enjoying arguably the peak performance of his baseball career, was considered a valuable trade asset as the August 3rd deadline loomed.
The Cincinnati Reds, however, decided to hold onto him, a move that proved fruitful on Saturday night.
The 28-year-old left fielder accomplished the rare feat of hitting for the cycle in just six innings, guiding the Reds to an impressive 11-5 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Batting third in the lineup, Bleday initiated the scoring spree with a double in the first inning, driving in Elly De La Cruz, who had himself started the game with a double.
Returning to the batter’s box in the third inning, Bleday tripled, bringing home the promising rookie Sal Stewart, and completing the cycle’s most challenging element. He later scored on a sacrifice fly by Tyler Stephenson, another key player retained at the deadline despite his contract nearing its expiration.
Now batting with one out in the fourth and De La Cruz and Stewart aboard, Bleday grounded a single through the right side to load the bases.
Clearly unsatisfied with his three hits and two RBIs in what was at that point was already a blowout, Bleday sent the first pitch of the sixth inning for a solo home run that barely scraped over the wall in right to complete the eighth cycle in franchise history and fourth in the MLB this season.
Though Bleday has been one of the Reds’ top sluggers this season, he found his career hanging in the balance just eight months ago, when the AL West bottom-feeding A’s declined to tender him a contract in the offseason.
Cincinnati took a chance on a one-year, $1.4 million deal, a contract that he has more than lived up to.
Elly De La Cruz nearly joined Bleday in the history books on Saturday, too.
De La Cruz, who went 4-for-6, finished a triple shy of his second career cycle — and it wouldn’t have been too much a surprise if the speedster, who has 29 three-baggers over his four-year career, completed the task. If it happened, the duo would have been the first teammates in MLB history to hit for the cycle in the same game.
He ended his night with a solo home run, double and two singles.
The sixth-inning homer was Bleday’s 21st of the season, second on the team behind Stewart. He leads the Reds in walks and is third in RBIs despite playing the first month of the season in Triple-A.
Much of Bleday’s impact has been for naught, though, as the Reds find themselves last in the division and far out of even a wild card spot. Cincinnati has struggled with rotation injuries and has been, apart from the trio at the top of the lineup, in the dumps on offense.