Sports
Someone had to take one of the Reds’ outfield spots; JJ Bleday just had to be patient
CINCINNATI — There were days when JJ Bleday called his agent and wondered why someone else got the call-up to the big leagues and not him. There were days, too, when his wife did the same.
“There’s always that,” Bleday said Thursday. “Especially when you have a wife and baby, you’re living in hotel rooms.”
Though the Bledays aren’t exactly looking for real estate in Cincinnati or Northern Kentucky, they should feel comfortable setting up here for the rest of the season. After he started the season in Triple A, Bleday’s first two-plus weeks back in the big leagues have been exactly what he and the Cincinnati Reds had been looking for: a steady outfield bat in the lineup.
Bleday hit two home runs and drove in six in the Reds’ 15-1 victory over the Washington Nationals on Thursday and is hitting .321/.455/.755 with six home runs and more walks (13) than strikeouts (10) in his 16 games with the Reds.
“He’s given us a big lift,” Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday. “You’re pulling for everybody, obviously, but when a guy comes up, and it looks like it’s real and you see it, that makes you feel good.”
The Athletics non-tendered Bleday less than two weeks after the birth of his first child, and he signed a one-year deal with the Reds a month later.
The fourth pick in the 2019 draft out of Vanderbilt, Bleday hit 20 home runs for the A’s in 2024 but struggled in 2025, hitting just .212 and spending time in the minor leagues.
The Reds entered the offseason looking for outfielders, not only signing the left-handed Bleday, but also trading for the right-handed Dane Myers. The team moved Noelvi Marte from third base to right field in July and told all of the team’s outfielders there was an open competition during spring training to join TJ Friedl and Spencer Steer.
The additions of Eugenio Suárez and Nathaniel Lowe squeezed the roster for the outfield candidates, Bleday, Marte, Myers, Will Benson and Rece Hinds.
Marte had the least impressive spring numbers of the group, but the incumbent still had a .777 OPS in spring. Bleday (1.047), Hinds (1.414) and Myers (1.000) all had an OPS better than 1.000 in spring, and Benson wasn’t that far off at .962.
When the final decisions were made, Benson, Friedl, Marte, Myers and Steer made the team out of spring training. Hinds and Bleday were told they were headed to Triple A and that they hadn’t done anything wrong; the Reds just wanted them to play every day in Louisville and be ready when the call came.
Marte struggled early and was sent down after his first 11 games, going 4-for-29 with 10 strikeouts and two walks.
When Marte was optioned April 13, Hinds had five homers and a 1.246 OPS. Bleday had a .922 OPS and two homers. The call went to Hinds.
“The decisions they made, that’s on them,” Bleday said. “I just had to continue whatever I was doing down in Triple A and just be ready. That was really the only way to go about it.”
If baseball teaches players nothing else, it’s that sometimes in life you can do things perfectly and not be rewarded. Even as the words leave his mouth, Bleday is quick to add the caveat that he knows it’s a cliche, but the game teaches that they can only control what they can control. Sometimes you hit the ball on the screws and straight at a fielder. Sometimes a broken bat yields a hit.
“There’s definitely times I’ve let it affect me with the A’s or previously in my career,” Bleday said. “It’s just trying to put yourself in a good mindset and be where your feet are and lean on those experiences and try to come out on top. You have to just trust yourself, trust that everything’s going to be OK, and put them in a tough position to make a decision.”
The decision came April 25 when Suárez went to the injured list with an oblique injury, and Bleday was called up. At the time, Hinds had struggled with the Reds, going just 4-for-28 with 14 strikeouts, one walk and no homers. At Triple A, Bleday had put up a 1.120 OPS and hit six homers in 104 plate appearances.
Bleday said he’d used the team’s choices as a chip on his shoulder, but he was more determined to prove himself right than prove others wrong.
Reds reliever Tejay Antone also thought he’d had a good enough spring to make the Reds’ decision difficult, but he’s also been around long enough to know these decisions aren’t easy or based solely on spring training results. Antone’s first Triple-A appearance came in 2016, the same year Bleday graduated high school. He’s seen many talented players in Triple A handle similar situations the right way and the wrong way. Bleday, Antone saw, did it the right way.
“You can have a chip on your shoulder and (be) mad about the decision that’s made, and then you’re late to practice, you’re not working extra. JJ is all pro,” Antone said. “Everything about him is pro. I’ve watched him do it. He shows up early. He gets extra work in. He shows up every single day, works his butt off. I mean, that is one of the most pro major-league players I’ve ever seen, and he does it every day.”
Now, Bleday is doing it every day for the Reds, giving the team the steady at-bats it needs.
“He had whatever struggles he had in Oakland, (but) I think our guys did a really good job of signing him because he’s obviously helping us,” Francona said. “I don’t think it’s a fluke.”
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Sports
Shergar Cup: Ryan Moore helps Great Britain and Ireland to Ascot crown | Racing News

Ryan Moore bagged a Shergar Cup double on his return to the competition following a 20-year absence to help his Great Britain and Ireland team win the team event while he was also crowned leading rider over the six races.
Winner of the Silver Saddle on his last appearance at the team-based meeting in 2006, Moore has usually been required to ride on a Group One card in Ireland.
But with that meeting put back 24 hours he was free to attend and delighted the Ascot crowd.
Team Great Britain and Ireland topped the standings on 81 points from Team Hong Kong in second on 62, with Moore’s individual haul of 47 enough to take the Silver Saddle.
He first struck on Dylan Cunha’s Asgard’s Captain (13-2) who stuck to his task gamely to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Challenge by a length and a quarter from Yutake Take on Sportingsilvermine for the Rest of the World.
Moore said: “Dylan did say he could be a little bit lazy, but he has an uncomplicated attitude and to just help him through it and it was straightforward, really.
“It’s great to get Dylan a winner here today and the owners will be delighted as they were all looking forward to it, so it’s a good job the horse has performed today.”
In the penultimate Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Classic, he gave Marco Botti’s Archers Bay (5-2) a textbook ride coming home three-and-a-quarter lengths clear of Christophe Lemaire on King Of Berkshire for Team Europe.
Having run in the Italian Derby earlier in the season, he looked the class act and so it proved.
In the closing Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Mile, Moore finished third on Ozat behind the Frida Valle Skar-ridden Crown Board (10-1), but her Team Europe were not in contention for top honours by then.
Saffie Osborne thrives in the team environment and got her name on the scoresheet when Tim Easterby’s Red Spells Danger justified 2-1 favouritism in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Sprint.
Osborne was leading rider in the Racing League on three occasions and is captaining Moore and Dylan Browne McMonagle in Team Great Britain and Ireland.
She said: “I heard a few people knocking this horse today but I thought the track would really suit and it has. I’m just glad I pulled my finger out.
“Looking at the standard of jockeys here today, it’s amazing – look at our team with Ryan Moore and Ireland’s champion jockey.
“The win for me today is that I made Ryan laugh a couple of times, so I’m quite happy with that!”
Team Hong Kong had earlier set the pace winning the first two races.
Jerry Chau gave them the perfect start when partnering Tuco Salamanca to a clear-cut victory in the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Dash.
Representing a team making its Shergar Cup debut, Chau, 26, gave Ollie Sangster’s four-year-old the perfect ride, taking a lead into the final furlong before a gap opened up seamlessly.
Tuco Salamanca (4-1) quickened impressively to beat Gold Star Hero, ridden by Chau’s team-mate Vincent Ho, by a length and a half.
Fandom and Suraj Narredu were third for the Rest of the World.
Chau told Sky Sports Racing: “It felt amazing when I hit the line.
“No words can describe riding a winner at Ascot. I grew up watching Ryan Moore on YouTube. I watched him as much as I could.”
Luke Ferraris did not have to wait long to play his part for Team Hong Kong as after an opening race one-two from his team-mates, he drove home Dancing In Paris to win the Dubai Duty Free Shergar Cup Stayers.
Riding the Ian Williams-trained 17-2 shot, Ferraris came with a late run to collar Moore on Andrew Balding’s Shrimp Shady to win by a length.
Mountain Road was third for Yutake Take and the Rest of the World.
Ferraris said: “That’s phenomenal, he’s a lot fitter than me! He was turned out in great order.
“He didn’t settle as good as he should have, but he still produced a great turn of foot.
“I think I’ve only ridden in one two-mile race in recent years, so it was a bit of a change.
“We’ve a good group of young riders representing Hong Kong, so let’s hope it continues.”
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Sports
'There's no hiding'- IBF champ McKenna puts middleweight division on notice

'There's no hiding'- IBF champ McKenna puts middleweight division on notice
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Sports
Carabao Cup: Burnley edge win on penalties, West Ham, Norwich & Watford through | Football News
Kyle Walker struck the winning penalty as Burnley edged out Notts County 4-3 in a shoot-out to reach the Carabao Cup second round after a 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.
Newly-promoted County, League Two play-off final winners over Salford in May, led through Callum Roberts at half-time before Zian Flemming equalised early in the second period for the Clarets.
Walker struck the winning penalty after Burnley goalkeeper Max Weiss had saved efforts from Notts pair Emile Acquah and Jacob Bedeau in the shoot-out.
West Ham came from behind to beat Portsmouth 3-1 at the London Stadium in their first match following relegation from the Premier League.
The Hammers fell behind to Adrian Segecic’s first-half opener, but turned it round before the break with Taty Castellanos and Jarrod Bowen on target, before the former notched his second in the second half.
Substitute Jamal Lowe struck the only goal as Sheffield Wednesday beat 10-man Bolton 1-0 at Hillsborough.
Lowe scored midway through the second half after Bolton’s Xavier Simons was sent off for punching Owls’ on-loan Leeds striker Harry Gray in retaliation having been pulled back.
Millwall goalkeeper Lukas Jensen saved all four of QPR’s penalties as the Lions won 2-0 in a shoot-out at Loftus Road after the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Luke Cundle had given Millwall a second-half lead after a goalkeeper error before the Hoops hit back through a late own goal from Mark Sykes.
Norwich debutant Andre Brooks was on target as the Canaries cruised to a 4-1 win against MK Dons at Carrow Road.
Cardiff substitute Jack Moylan also scored on his debut, firing the winner as the Bluebirds won 3-2 against Swindon, for whom James Debayo was sent off for two yellow cards in the final six minutes.
August Priske’s first-half finish sealed Birmingham a 1-0 win at Swansea and Marc Bola’s stunning long-range strike deep in added time clinched Watford victory over Crawley by the same score.
Late goals from substitutes Andri Gudjohnsen and Jayden Fevrier secured Blackburn a 2-1 win at Burton.
Newly-promoted Lincoln picked up where they left off last season, winning 2-1 at Derby thanks to first-half goals from Ben House and Dom Jefferies before Sammie Szmodics pulled one back for the Rams.
Ollie Norburn’s own goal and Robert Bozenik’s late effort secured Stoke a 2-0 win against Oldham at the bet365 Stadium and Bradford pair Will Swan and Aden Baldwin earned their side a 2-0 home win against Rochdale.
Fleetwood captain Ched Evans’ first-half effort sealed his side a 1-0 home win against Chesterfield and Cambridge hit back to beat Barnet 2-1 through second-half goals from Ben Knight and Isaac Heath.
AFC Wimbledon, Barnsley and Reading progressed after winning on penalties against Newport, Wigan and Bromley respectively, while Preston, Shrewsbury and Doncaster came through respective shoot-outs against Huddersfield, Salford and Stockport.
Luca Moore’s late goal sealed Crewe a 2-1 victory against Accrington at Gresty Road and late goals from Demetri Mitchell and Idris El Mizouni secured Leyton Orient a 2-0 home win against Oxford.
Peterborough, Luton and Blackpool all won on the road, at Bristol Rovers, Gillingham and Grimsby respectively, and Caleb Okoli’s header secured Leicester a 1-0 home win against Northampton.
In the evening kick-offs, there was a 2-0 victory for Southampton as Cyle Larin and Romeo Akachukwu scored their goals at Colchester.
While West Brom won 4-1 at Rotherham and Charlton secured a 3-1 victory at Cheltenham.
When is the second round draw?
The draw for the second round of the 2026/27 Carabao Cup will be made live on Sky Sports Football on Monday August 10, during the build-up to the tie between Plymouth and Exeter.
The draw will feature all first-round winners, as well as the 11 Premier League clubs not participating in European competition.
All Saturday’s results
- Cambridge 2-1 Barnet
- QPR 1-1 Millwall (0-2 pens)
- AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Newport (5-4 pens)
- Barnsley 1-1 Wigan (6-5 pens)
- Bradford 2-0 Rochdale
- Bristol Rovers 0-1 Peterborough
- Bromley 1-1 Reading (4-5 pens)
- Burnley 1-1 Notts County (4-3 pens)
- Burton 1-2 Blackburn
- Cardiff 3-2 Swindon
- Crewe 2-1 Accrington
- Derby 1-2 Lincoln
- Fleetwood 1-0 Chesterfield
- Gillingham 1-3 Blackpool
- Leicester 1-0 Northampton
- Leyton Orient 2-0 Oxford
- Norwich 4-1 MK Dons
- Preston 1-1 Huddersfield (4-3 pens)
- Salford 1-1 Shrewsbury (3-4 pens)
- Sheff Wed 1-0 Bolton
- Stockport 1-1 Doncaster (4-5 pens)
- Stoke 2-0 Oldham
- Swansea 0-1 Birmingham
- Watford 1-0 Crawley
- West Ham 3-1 Portsmouth
- Cheltenham 1-3 Charlton
- Colchester 0-2 Southampton
- Rotherham 1-4 West Brom
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