The Mariners’ Jay Bruce celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Angels on May 31, 2019, in Seattle. The home run was the 300th of his major league career. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

The Mariners’ Jay Bruce celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a game against the Angels on May 31, 2019, in Seattle. The home run was the 300th of his major league career. (AP Photo/Stephen Brashear)

Report: Mariners on verge of trading Bruce to Phillies

Seattle will likely land only a low-lever minor-leaguer in return for the veteran slugger.

  • By Lauren Smith The News Tribune
  • Saturday, June 1, 2019 5:16pm
  • SportsMariners

By Lauren Smith / The News Tribune

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners are reportedly nearing a deal to trade veteran Jay Bruce to the Philadelphia Phillies. The possible deal, which could be finalized quickly, was first reported Saturday morning by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.

Bruce was still in Seattle’s clubhouse Saturday afternoon, but did not have additional information.

“It’s part of the business,” Bruce said. “It’s what you sign up for. So, I’ll just wait and see. I have no news, honestly. I have nothing to speak on other than what’s put out on the Internet. Everyone probably knows that I’m available via trade.”

Bruce was not placed in the starting lineup for the Mariners’ game against the Angels. A left-handed hitter, it’s likely Bruce would have been left out of the batting order anyway with lefty Andrew Heany starting for Los Angeles, but the reports offer an additional reason why he was omitted.

Mariners manager Scott Servais declined to comment on the trade rumors, but said Bruce has been an important clubhouse presence since joining the Mariners during the offseason.

“He’s got a lot of experience,” Servais said. “He’s certainly helped a lot of our players, our younger guys especially, just on how to deal with the ups and downs of a season. … You need those guys. I think it’s really important for veteran players to give back, because somewhere along the line somebody helped them, and that’s how the game should work.”

The trade rumors likely stem from the situation involving Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera, who was arrested in New Jersey last week for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

Bruce has been an outfielder for most of his 12-year career, and could act as a replacement for Philadelphia, though he’s played a significant amount of first base for the Mariners this season.

Bruce has been rumored as one of Seattle’s players who have trade potential since spring training, as part of the group of four players involved in a logjam at first base.

“We’ll see if something does happen,” Bruce said. “I’ll be happy to answer questions and talk about it.”

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Matt Gelb later tweeted that Bruce would waive a no-trade clause to join the Phillies, and Philadelphia would likely take on most of the $14 million Bruce is owed in 2020. If the Phillies do pick up most of his contract, the Mariners probably wouldn’t receive much in return in the deal, perhaps a low-level minor-leaguer.

Entering Saturday’s game Bruce was slashing at .212/.283/.533 this season with 14 homers, 11 doubles, 38 RBI, 16 walks and 53 strikeouts this season, and while the power has been there, he’s struggled with consistency until recently. He’s hit safely in six of his past seven appearances.

“I think Jay’s swung the bat much better recently,” Servais said. “He’s done a good job at first base. That’s kind of what we excepted when we acquired him, that he would be a good influence in the clubhouse and the power was going to be there. At the end of the year, you’ll look up and Jay Bruce will be doing what he typically does — hitting .255 and he’ll have his homers and RBIs. That’s who he is.”

Bruce hit his 300th career home run in a win over the Angels on Friday night, and became the eighth active player to record at least 300 doubles and 300 home runs.

If Bruce is traded to Philadelphia, it would help clear up the crowd at first base that was an imminent issue during spring training. The Mariners had four candidates for the position between Bruce, Edwin Encarnacion, Ryon Healy and Daniel Vogelbach. It was assumed in the spring that Healy, the only player in that group with options, would likely be sent to Triple-A Tacoma.

But, veteran third baseman Kyle Seager injured his hand days before the Mariners opened their season in Japan, and spent a 60-day stint on the injured list, which provided a temporary solution. Healy, Seattle’s regular first baseman last season, moved over to third for most of the first two months to replace Seager, while Bruce, Encarnacion and Vogelbach split time at first. Encarnacion and Vogelbach have also regularly appeared at DH.

But, Seager was reactivated on May 25, and has resumed his regular role at third. Healy has been on the 10-day IL since May 21 with lower back inflammation, but when he returns, so would the four-player gridlock at first base. Dealing Bruce to the Phillies would provide a quick solution.

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