Former Marlins’ first round pick JJ Bleday homers to lead A’s to victory
JJ Bleday didn’t flip his bat. He didn’t yell. He just jogged around the bases with a calm, steady trot — the look of a player who finally found his place.
A few innings later, another former first-round pick walked off the mound to cheers, high-fives and a wave of green-and-gold support behind the A’s dugout at loanDepot park.
Friday night belonged to Bleday and Gunnar Hoglund — two top draft picks on different paths, now teammates, delivering in a 6-1 Oakland win that dropped the Marlins to 12-19 on the season.
Bleday, traded by Miami ahead of the 2023 season, reached base three times, homered and doubled in his return to face the club that once made him the No. 4 overall pick.
“It’s always wholesome coming back here and, just being appreciative for the person and organization that gave me an opportunity,” Bleday said before the game.
Across the diamond, Hoglund was making his first big-league start. The 2021 first-rounder scattered six hits, struck out seven, walked none and allowed just one earned run over six innings — good for his first career win.
Hoglund’s outing wasn’t just impressive — it was historic. He became the first A’s pitcher since 1943 (and just the fourth since 1915) to allow one run over six innings with no walks in his Major League debut.
“Just a big weight off my shoulders. Once I got the call this week, it was just surreal,” Hoglund said postgame. “I was just hoping tonight to show what I was capable of doing, and I think I did that.”
It was a breakthrough for the 25-year-old right-hander, whose professional debut was delayed by Tommy John surgery and a trade from Toronto to Oakland before he ever threw a pitch. After an uneven road through the minors, Friday marked a turning point.
In the fifth, he watched Bleday double in a run to make it 5-0. Then in the sixth, Hoglund responded with his seventh strikeout and a clean, three-up, three-down inning.
Behind the A’s dugout, a wave of friends and family stood and clapped after each inning. They high-fived, cheered, and celebrated together as Hoglund walked off the mound — marking a milestone years in the making.
“It just brings a lot of joy to the family,” said Jerry Hoglund, Gunnar’s grandfather. “It’s special to watch him because people don’t realize how much hard work he’s put into this.”
Inside the A’s clubhouse postgame, Hoglund was met with sprays of drinks and a wrestling-style championship belt — the team’s player-of-the-game prize.
Asked where the night ranked, Jerry Hoglund smiled.
“Well, this one’s gonna be near the top,” he said. “It’s his first major league game, first major league win — and they win the game. It’s kind of the whole trajectory of his career, from Ole Miss to the minors to here.”
For Bleday, it was a reminder of how much has changed since his Miami days. The former top-10 pick never fully found his footing with the Marlins, hitting .167 over 65 games in 2022 before being traded for A.J. Puk.
Now, he’s the A’s everyday center fielder — and thriving.
“He’s taking advantage of the opportunity to be an everyday player, and you see the adjustments,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “He looks confident. I’ve seen growth and maturity from him.”
Kotsay, who also started his MLB career with the Marlins, said he shares a connection with Bleday.
“I told him awhile ago, ‘I started my career with that club, too.’ So I understand it.”
And as Bleday watched Hoglund settle in, he offered a bit of advice.
“I met Gunnar in spring training,” Bleday said. “Hopefully he just embraces this with his family and enjoys every moment of it. Regardless of what happens, just embrace it and take it all in.”
The two players were drafted four years apart, but their careers converged Friday — one moving past what was, the other stepping into what could be.
“Just come into the ballpark to play and give it your best shot every single day,” Bleday said. “Because that’s all you can really do.”
This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 11:00 PM.