The Cincinnati Reds are in full rebuilding mode and are selling off any veteran piece they can. Outfielder Jay Bruce may be the next to go.
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Multiple Hurdles Still in Way of Potential Bruce Trade
Thursday, Jan. 14
ESPN's Jerry Crasnick couldn't identify any possible suitors but reported the Reds "are still listening on Jay Bruce." Crasnick also passed along an email from general manager Dick Williams:
We are still evaluating options. We do not consider our offseason to be finished. Deciding to focus on the long-term means you have to constantly evaluate opportunities. Trading [Todd] Frazier and [Aroldis] Chapman certainly begins to move us in the direction we need to go, as a small market team. Once you start down this road, it is important to continue with the tough decisions and not pull up in the middle of the project. That being said, we cannot force deals so I cannot guarantee we will do more.
Dealing Bruce will be much easier said than done. After a career year in 2013, the 28-year-old has struggled at the plate. He hit a career-low 18 home runs in 2014 while driving in 66 runs and batting .217, and his numbers picked up only slightly in 2015.
Bruce had a slash line of .226/.294/.434 with 26 homers and 87 RBI. However, his .261 true average (TAv), which is league average, was a little more indicative of his performance at the plate, per Baseball Prospectus.
Still, Bruce is due $12.5 million in 2016 and has a $1 million buyout for 2017. Plenty of teams may balk at committing at least $13.5 million to him after the last two seasons. According to Spotrac, he also has a no-trade clause that applies to eight teams: the Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Arizona Diamondbacks, Miami Marlins, Oakland Athletics and Minnesota Twins.
In order to facilitate a trade, the Reds might have to concede some value coming their way.
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