Mets sign Jay Bruce to 3-year, $39 million contract

Three-time All-Star outfielder Jay Bruce is returning to the Mets on a three-year, $39 million deal, according to MLB Network insider Ken Rosenthal.

Bruce continued to swing a powerful bat in 2017, recording an impressive 40.3 percent hard-hit rate with an average fly-ball distance of 332 feet, per Statcast. As a result, the veteran finished with the highest homer total (36) and the second-best RBI mark (101) of his 10-year career.

While the Mets and Citi Field do not present an ideal landing spot for the slugger, he should produce at least 30 homers and 95 RBIs while working with Yoenis Cespedes to form a potent pair in the heart of the lineup.

Indians acquire Bruce from Mets

Several hours after placing All-Star left fielder Michael Brantley on the 10-day disabled list, the Cleveland Indians acquired some outfield help by obtaining Jay Bruce from the New York Mets.

The Mets traded Bruce to Cleveland in exchange for right-handed pitching prospect Ryder Ryan, the Indians confirmed Wednesday night. Bruce is due to join his new team for a weekend series in Tampa Bay.

Bruce, 30, had a team-high 29 home runs for the Mets this season while hitting .256 with 75 RBIs. The Mets obtained him from the Cincinnati Reds at the non-waiver trade deadline last year, giving up Dilson Herrera and Max Wotell in the deal.

Bruce is scheduled to earn $13 million this season, and Cleveland.com reported the Indians apparently will pay the amount remaining on his 2017 salary.

He is a three-time All-Star who is eligible for free agency at the end of this season.

The Indians placed Brantley on the disabled list on Wednesday morning due to a right ankle sprain. Brantley was on the DL with the same injury in June.

Another Cleveland outfielder, Lonnie Chisenhall, has been sidelined since the All-Star break because of a strained right calf. He is scheduled to begin rehab assignment in the minors soon.

The Indians, who are the defending American League champions, held a 3 1/2-game lead in the AL Central after their 3-2, 12-inning loss to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday afternoon.

Ryan was a 30th-round pick by the Indians in 2016 out of the University of North Carolina. He had a 4.79 ERA in 33 appearances for Class A Lake County this season.

Puma: Mets may only be able to market Jay Bruce to two teams

With the Toronto Blue Jays closing in on signing Jose Bautista and Philadelphia Phillies closing in on signing Michael Saunders, Mike Puma of the New York Post says that the New York Mets may have to get creative in their efforts to trade Jay Bruce, who became expendable when the club signed Yoenis Cespedes to a four-year contract worth $110 million in November.

Reports on Monday indicated the Blue Jays were close to re-signing Bautista, and the Phillies on the verge of completing a deal with Saunders. Both teams had been potential landing places for Bruce, who is owed $13 million in 2017.

Last week, general manager Sandy Alderson indicated there is a real possibility the Mets could begin spring training with Bruce still in a Mets uniform, making for a crowded outfield that would also include Cespedes, Curtis Granderson, Michael Conforto and Juan Lagares.

Puma feels that the Giants and Rangers are among the teams that could still look to acquire Bruce.

Both the Giants and Rangers showed interest in Bruce at the trade deadline last year and have outfield vacancies.

Mets acquire outfielder Jay Bruce from Cincinnati

FLUSHING, N.Y. – The New York Mets today announced that the club has acquired three-time All-Star outfielder Jay Bruce from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for infielder Dilson Herrera and minor league lefthanded pitcher Max Wotell.

Bruce, 29, was named an All-Star for a third time this season and is batting .265 (98-370) with 22 doubles, six triples, 25 home runs, 80 RBI and a .559 slugging percentage in 97 games. His 80 RBI lead the National League (fourth in the major leagues) while his 25 home runs are tied for fourth-most in the NL. He's one of three players in the majors this season to have at least 22 doubles, 25 home runs and 80 RBI (the other two are Toronto's Edwin Encarnacion and Boston's David Ortiz). Additionally, Bruce is batting .360 (32-89) with eight home runs and 52 RBI with runners in scoring position.

His All-Star selection earlier this year was his first since being named a back-to-back NL All-Star in 2011 and 2012. The Beaumont, TX native is also a two-time Silver Slugger award winner (2012 and 2013).

Last season, Bruce batted .226 (131-580) with 35 doubles, four triples, 26 home runs and 87 RBI in 157 games. He was one of nine major leaguers with at least 35 doubles, 26 home runs and 87 RBI. He finished the season with the ninth-most extra-base hits in the National League. His 45 RBI following the All-Star break were eighth-most in the NL. In the outfield, Bruce recorded 11 outfield assists, third-most for a National League outfielder.

Since 2011, Bruce has 165 homers, 10th-most for any major league player while his 538 RBI in that time are seventh-most in the majors since 2011. Since his debut in 2008, Bruce has 233 career home runs, fifth-most in the major leagues for a lefthanded hitter while his 718 career RBI in that time are the sixth-most for a lefthanded hitter.

In 1,220 career games across nine major league seasons, Bruce has batted .249 (1,116-4,481) with 238 doubles, 27 triples, 233 home runs and 718 RBI.

Herrera, 22, has played in 86 games for Las Vegas (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League this season and batted .276 (99-359) with 24 doubles, 13 home runs and 55 RBI. Last season, Herrera played in 31 games for the Mets, batting .211 (19-90) with three doubles, one triple, three home runs and six RBI. In 49 career major league games, all with the Mets, Herrera batted .215 (32-149) with three doubles, two triples, six home runs and 17 RBI.

Wotell, 20, was the Mets' third-round selection in the 2015 First-Year Player Draft. In six starts for Kingsport (R) of the Appalachian League this season, Wotell is 3-1 with a 3.94 ERA (13 earned runs/29.2 innings) and 31 strikeouts. In two minor league seasons, Wotell is 3-2 with a 3.57 ERA (16 earned runs/40.1 innings) in 15 games (six starts).

Pomeranz, Marte, Bruce to replace Syndergaard, Cespedes and Fowler on active NL All-Star roster

National League All-Star manager Terry Collins of the New York Mets announced today his selections of San Diego Padres pitcher Drew Pomeranz, Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Starling Marté and Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce to the active NL All-Star roster as injury replacements for Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, Mets outfielder Yoenis Céspedes and Chicago Cubs outfielder Dexter Fowler.

This marks the first All-Star selection for Pomeranz, who will join teammate Wil Myers in front of the hometown fans during the Midsummer Classic at Petco Park. The 27-year-old left-hander is 8-7 with a 2.47 ERA over 17 starts this season. In 102.0 innings pitched, the fifth overall selection in the 2010 MLB Draft (by Cleveland) has allowed 28 earned runs on 67 hits with 41 walks and 115 strikeouts. The six-year veteran, who is in his first season with San Diego, has already set single-season career-highs in wins, innings pitched and strikeouts.

Marté, who finished in second place in the 2016 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote, becomes an All-Star for the first time in his five-year career. The 27-year-old native of the Dominican Republic joins his Pirates teammate Mark Melancon on the NL roster. Marté is batting .316 on the season with 19 doubles, four triples, six home runs, 32 RBI, 46 runs scored and 27 stolen bases. With his selection, there are now 29 foreign-born players on 2016 All-Star rosters. In addition, there are now 32 players 27-or-younger on All-Star rosters, as well as 32 first-time All-Stars.

Bruce, an NL All-Star for the third time in his career (also 2011-12), joins fellow Reds outfielder Adam Duvall on the NL roster. The 29-year-old slugger is batting .265 on the season with 19 doubles, six triples, 18 home runs, 62 RBI and 46 runs. His 62 RBI on the season are tied for third in the NL.

Syndergaard, 23, is 9-4 on the season with a 2.56 ERA over 18 games (17 starts). In 105.2 innings pitched, the first-time All-Star has permitted 30 earned runs on 96 hits with 18 walks and 128 strikeouts, which ranks sixth in the NL.

Céspedes, an All-Star for the second time in his career (also 2014), is hitting .302 on the season with 16 doubles, a triple, 21 home runs, 52 RBI and 47 runs scored. The Cuban native's 21 home runs are tied for fifth in the NL. Fowler, who has been on the disabled list since June 21st, is hitting .290 on the season with 19 doubles, three triples, seven home runs, 28 RBI and 41 runs scored. The 30-year-old is an All-Star for the first time in his nine-year career. Syndergaard, Céspedes and Fowler are invited to San Diego with full All-Star honors.

Céspedes, who finished second among NL outfielders in fan balloting, and Fowler, who finished third among NL outfielders in fan balloting, will be replaced in the NL starting lineup by Miami's Marcell Ozuna and Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez, the highest ranked NL outfielders on the Player Ballot. 

MLB All-Star Week includes the MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard at Petco Park (July 12th), Gatorade All-Star Workout Day featuring the T-Mobile Home Run Derby (July 11th), All-Star Sunday featuring the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game and All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game (July 10th), All-Star FanFest at the San Diego Convention Center (July 8th-12th), plus a lineup of additional events taking place around the city. The 87th Midsummer Classic will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @AllStarGame on social media.

Reds activate RF Jay Bruce

"The Line Drive" Staff Report

The Cincinnati Reds on Thursday activated RF Jay Bruce from the paternity list.

Bruce was placed on rhe paternity list due to the birth of his newborn son Carter Bruce, who was born on April 25 at 9:08 pm ET.

In a corresponding move, the Reds optioned RHP Layne Somsen to the Triple-A Louisville Bats.

The Reds also sent RHP Anthony DeSclafani on a rehab assignment to the Class-A Dayton Dragons.

The Line Drive sends its best wishes to the Bruce family for at this very special time for them.