Jay Bruce

Reds believe Orioles have pieces for Jay Bruce deal

The Cincinnati Reds believe the Baltimore Orioles have the prospects to swing a deal for outfielder Jay Bruce, according to MLB Network's Jon Heyman.

What It Means:

This information is likely a follow-up to a report from FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal, which said Baltimore would have interest in trading for Bruce, but there was some uncertainty that they could pull off this deal. The Orioles would like to add a bat and are considering a few different options, including Dexter Fowler or Pedro Alvarez from the free agent market, and it's unlikely they would try to obtain more than one bat. The market for Bruce has been relatively quiet this offseason.

Bruce struggled to just a .309 wOBA in 157 games this season, but he did slug 26 home runs and has hit at least 21 home runs in seven of his eight seasons in the big leagues. Despite the power, his Wins Above Replacement was 0.1, the second lowest total of his career. Our metrics did not view him favorably, either, as his -0.23 nERD ranked 255th.