New York Mets Trade Jay Bruce To Cleveland Indians for Pitching Prospect
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 02: Jay Bruce #19 of the New York Mets circle the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 2, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

Just when you thought the New York Mets weren’t going to make any August trades, they’ve sent Jay Bruce to the Cleveland Indians.

The New York Mets have traded outfielder/first baseman Jay Bruce to the Cleveland Indians according to multiple reports. Ken Rosenthal was the first to break the news.

A free agent at the end of the season, Bruce was one of the few consistently productive bats in the Mets lineup. He led the team in both home runs (29) and RBI (75), while his .847 OPS trailed only Michael Conforto (.971).

There had been some speculation earlier in the season that the Indians may have had an interest in Bruce, but nothing materialized by the non-waiver trade deadline. But with Michael Brantley spraining his ankle Tuesday night, the Tribe was in need of another outfielder.

In exchange for Bruce and all of his salary, the Mets are getting back 22-year-old right-handed reliever Ryder Ryan, according to the New York Post‘s Joel Sherman.

A 30th-round pick in the 2016 draft, Ryan has appeared in 33 games for Single-A Lake County, going 3-4 with a 4.79 ERA and 1.48 WHIP. While those numbers aren’t terrific, he is averaging more than a strikeout-per-inning.

Ryan’s fastball sits in the in the low-to-mid 90s, occasionally touching 96 mph. While he has a live arm, he’s still a raw talent and years away from contributing in the big leagues.

With Bruce — who had been manning first base recently — out of the picture, could this clear a path for Dominic Smith to finally join the Mets?

Time will tell if the youth movement continues in Queens.