JJ Bleday could be a trade target for the Blue Jays this winter. The price floated would be Brandon Valenzuela, and that's where the idea falls apart.

The pitch comes from SI's Reds site, which framed Bleday as part of a need-for-need swap. Cincinnati gets catching help, and Toronto gets power.

The power is real. He hit 24 home runs in 2026 and drew 72 walks.

He's also under team control through 2028. For a club that hit the fewest homers in baseball, that cost certainty is appealing.

The rest of the line is shakier. He slashed .217/.324/.416, with a significant drop in the second half.

His production also skewed toward right-handed pitching. That makes him more of a platoon corner bat than an everyday solution.

Toronto already has plenty of platoon bats like JJ Bleday

That's the problem. The Jays already carry Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger, Sean Keys and Yohendrick Piñango in similar roles.

And Toronto's lefty hitters ranked fourth-worst in wRC+ against southpaws in 2026. Adding another bat that does most of its damage against righties doesn't fix that.

Is Valenzuela worth giving up for that? Not even close.

The rookie catcher just earned an AL Gold Glove finalist spot while playing part-time. Trading him for a platoon bat Toronto doesn't need would be a mistake.

He also proved he can hold the fort. When Alejandro Kirk missed more than two months, Valenzuela hit above .250 with an OPS above .800 in May and June.

It's like trading your snow tires for a fourth pair of sandals. Nice to have in July, useless when the storm hits.

The Jays need right-handed power. Seiya Suzuki, Randy Arozarena and Eugenio Suárez fit that bill far better.

If Terry Francona's Reds want a catcher, they'll have to find one elsewhere. Toronto shouldn't be shopping its Gold Glove finalist for another corner platoon piece.