Mariners Rumors: Jay Bruce a fit for the Phillies?

The hunt for a Jay Bruce suitor may have taken a positive turn.

Per Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports, the Philadelphia Phillies are in the market for a left-handed power bat to bolster their bench depth. It just so happens that the Seattle Mariners have exactly what they’re looking for in Jay Bruce.

Bruce is among the American League leaders in home runs with 13 and currently sporting one of the weirdest slash lines at .208/.266/.526. While the power numbers are great, Bruce’s inconsistent production has had us pondering a potential DFA for the 32-year-old slugger.

Realistically, any deal for Bruce wouldn’t net the Mariners a whole lot. Bruce is making $14 million this season and still has another year left on his contract of $14 million guaranteed, so Seattle would have to agree to eat a significant portion of his deal in order to even enter the conversation.

For an aging outfielder with little-to-no defensive value, expectations should hit bedrock for a return. You’re not going to get anyone in the Phillies’ top 30 prospects, or any team’s for that matter. Not even close.

That’s why eating the sunk cost of Bruce’s remaining salary for 2019 and 2020 and designating him for assignment is a real possibility, because holding out for a deal probably won’t be worth it in the end, especially if he continues to play over younger, more valuable options.

But if the Phillies are looking to acquire what they’re looking for as soon as possible, they’re probably not going to do a whole lot better than Bruce at this time. While the majority of the league is still in the “too early to tell” stage of the season, Jerry Dipoto has never been one to sit on his hands and his team is in the midst of a 10-30 stretch over their last 40 games.