Update, August 9
Jay Bruce has been traded to the Cleveland Indians, reports Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal. Joel Sherman of the NY Post followed up by reporting the Mets will receive minor league relief pitcher Ryder Ryan from Cleveland.
According to multiple reports, the Indians will be absorbing all of Bruce’s remaining salary of $3.7 million, which clearly reduced the return the Mets got in this deal.
Ryan, 22, is a right-handed reliever chosen by the Indians in the 30th round of last year’s draft out of the University of North Carolina. In 41.1 innings this season for Cleveland’s A-ball affiliate, Ryan has a 4.79 ERA, a strikeout rate of 10.7 K/9, and a walk rate of 3.7 BB/9.
Original Post, August 8
Jay Bruce has oft been the center of trade rumors since the end of the 2016 season, but here he is, still donning blue and orange.
While Bruce, 30, has cleared revocable players and is free to be traded prior to the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline, the Mets are warming to the idea of retaining the left-handed slugger beyond this season.
Mets general manager has already said that Michael Conforto could be a solution in center field for the future, giving Bruce the opportunity to play right.
MLB.com’s Anthony DiComo notes that while Bruce has cleared waivers, he believes the Mets will keep Bruce through the end of the season and consider him as a viable option for the future.
“Keeping Bruce for the balance of this season gives the Mets more time to negotiate with him exclusively, so that they have a better idea of each other’s contract desires when the offseason comes,” DiComo said. “It also keeps his mind on New York, a place that Bruce has come to enjoy playing.”
The 10-year veteran is having an outstanding year at the dish, slamming 29 home runs and driving in 75 runs while hitting to the tune of .260/.324/.528, with a .357 wOBA and 122 wRC+.
Mets hitting coach Kevin Long calls Bruce “underrated,” and one of the “top outfielders in the game,” in a column from New York Post’s Kevin Kernan.
“I would say he is one of the top outfielders in the game,’’ Long said. “The professionalism he brings is day in and day out. It seems like every game he does something to affect the game in a positive way. If Terry Collins needs him at first, he plays first. That’s not his first choice. That’s not what he has been doing his whole life, he’s been playing right field, so I commend him.’’
The outfielder has come to enjoy his time in New York, but realizes baseball is a business and will test the waters of the open market this offseason.
“I understand that baseball franchises are always looking to improve themselves. For me, I’m a free agent in two months, and we’ll see what happens,” Bruce said. “I’m not dismissing any type of opportunity that I have here in the future, but I’m also not assuming that that’s going to be the case either. People work a long time to get to free agency and I think that’s important.”
“This most definitely will be a viable option for me. We’ll just have to wait and see,” Bruce concluded.
While the market was slow to develop for Bruce and many of the other Mets hitters alike at the non-waiver trade deadline, Alderson won’t just give him away this month, leading many to believe he will hold onto the outfielder.
The Mets can extend a qualifying offer to Bruce, but due to changes in the CBA, New York would receive a compensatory pick in the No. 70-80 range, not after the first round like in years past.
Bruce has missed the past couple games with a stiff neck, but is likely to return to the Mets lineup Tuesday night in their series opener with the Texas Rangers.
I’ve been a big proponent of the Mets keeping Bruce past 2017.
Lucas Duda is now a Tampa Bay Ray, Yoenis Cespedes has struggled and though he will bounce back, the team could use Bruce’s bat in the lineup.
Amed Rosario and Dominic Smith are projected to be big parts of the 2018 Mets lineup and bringing Bruce back would take a lot of pressure off the young guys.
Bruce is also a model for interactions with the media. Through thick and thin, good or bad, Bruce is always at his locker to speak before and after every Mets game.
He is a clubhouse leader and has come into his own as a Met. Bruce makes your team better, not worse and the Mets should really consider offering him a new contract.
