As reported by Jim Bowden of ESPN, the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays have entertained a trade for left- fielder Jay Bruce. If October is on their mind, the lefty needs to stay.
The need for a power bat to back up Yoenis Cespedes (if he decides to re-sign) in a seemingly depleted lineup is much needed.
Who better to take on that role than Jay Bruce?
When the Mets picked up Bruce’s option earlier this month, questions arose as to whether they would use Bruce as a backup plan if Cespedes takes his talents else where, or if they would use the power lefty as trade bait to address other needs. If the Mets do choose to re-sign Cespedes, they will have to provide a deeper lineup and that’s exactly what Bruce brings to the table.
The three time all-star had a brutal second half of the season where he slugged just .219/.294/.391 with eight home runs and just 19 RBI. While Bruce wasn’t so hot, he did swing the bat better towards the end of the season showing New York fans the type of player he truly is.
In the months of September and October, Bruce seemed to have found his New York groove sporting a slash line of .263/.333/.513. He also crushed six homers with 13 RBI.
The Mets could not have asked for much better from Bruce who certainly played a vital role in getting the Mets to the National League Wild Card game. While Bruce’s short season with the Mets wasn’t much of an overall success, he has a great enough track record to show that he is a bigtime middle of the lineup bat, which is exactly what the Mets are looking for.
Bruce has been nothing short of impressive in his 11 year career in the MLB. The lefty slugger sports a .248/.318/.467, he also has 241 home runs, and 737 RBIs over his major league career. This has to be a main reason why the Mets decided to pick up his option. The Mets certainly expect Bruce to have become accustom with New York and return to his normal state of playing.
Many fans have probably turned against Bruce and say just trade this guy already, but the Mets need to understand that $13 million for someone who hits 30 homers and 100 RBIs is a steal in a depleted free agency.
If the New York Mets plan on making a deep run once again this season, Bruce cleaning up for Yoenis Cespedes is a must.
