Phillies Trade For Jay Bruce Close to Being Finalized
So this was a trade that was done, then a trade that was talked about, then a trade that was probable and now…a trade being finalized.
The Philadelphia #Phillies will assume the bulk of Jay Bruce's remaining $21.5 million in his contract when the #Mariners' Jay Bruce trade is finalized today. No team was willing to absorb as much money as the Phillies during their trade talks involving Bruce.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 2, 2019
Well, the Phillies are 1 for 1 on fire sale trades with the Mariners this year. If Jean Segura is everything we hoped JP Crawford was going to be, does that mean Jay Bruce will be everything we hoped Nick Williams would be?
By bolstering the array of hitters in the outfield, I think this move says that Odubel Herrera will be gone for a long time, or never coming back.
What’s most interesting about this move is the salary implications. The Phillies basically bought out Bruce instead of trading for him. They were the only ones willing to at all $21.5 million left on his contract and didn’t give up any minor league players of value. Spending $21.5 million for a bat primarily going to be used off the bench is pretty hefty. It puts the Phillies pretty close to that luxury tax line. I guess the “stupid money” quote gets to live another day! Although, recently, the free agency splurge hasn’t even looked like stupid money. With the play of Andrew McCutcheon lately, the Phils may have UNDERPAID for him. Maybe the Bruce move is just another move of great value.
While we’re talking some Phillies, thought they may be Sunday Night Baseball with the Dodgers tonight. Two of the best teams in the NL with two of the biggest media markets in the NL. A playoff preview perhaps! Then I remembered it’s essentially law that every Red Sox/Yankees matchup MUST be broadcast on ESPN primetime if it falls on a Sunday. It’s a MUST.