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Seattle Mariners Rumors: Jay Bruce Contract Offer Amongst Chatter About Mariners Interest In Outfielder

By Ryan DeVault
Published on: 13:46 PST, Nov 11, 2017

Seattle Mariners rumors about a Jay Bruce contract offer have surfaced on social media. Could Bruce play first base for the Mariners and give the team a boost on offense for the 2018 MLB season? A report by baseball analyst Jon Heyman certainly indicates that the team could be in on the negotiations to land him. This also echoes additional Mariners rumors showing up on social media suggesting that the team already offered Bruce a five-year, $90 million contract. That offer has not been substantiated by the team or Bruce’s agent.

Jon Heyman states that the main suitors for Jay Bruce could include the Toronto Blue Jays, St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants, and Seattle Mariners. He also confirms that Bruce is looking for a deal in the range of five years and roughly $80-90 million, so it could actually fall in line with some of the chatter that has been taking place online. With no confirmation of that deal being offered, though, those Seattle Mariners rumors will remain conjecture for now.

Last season, Bruce split time between the New York Mets and Cleveland Indians. The Mets dealt him in a midseason salary dump in exchange for minor-leaguer Ryder Ryan. Now Bruce is a free agent after not signing a new contract with the Indians. In 146 games during the 2017 MLB season, Bruce had 36 home runs, 101 RBIs, and a .254 batting average. His .832 OPS was impressive, which is where the interest from many teams is coming during the offseason.

Over his 10-year career in Major League Baseball, Jay Bruce spent time with the Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, and Cleveland Indians. He has 162-game averages of 32 home runs, 96 RBIs, 31 doubles, and 86 runs scored. Bruce also has a career batting average of .249 and a combined on-base percentage of .319. It is the power numbers that are drawing the attention during free agency and likely what teams like the San Francisco Giants and Seattle Mariners could really use in the middle of the order.

The biggest need for the Mariners isn’t on offense, but rather in the starting rotation. The team could really use an ace at the front of the pitching staff, but they are pretty expensive at this point. Thoughts of signing someone like Yu Darvish or Jake Arrieta might not be realistic if the two pitchers end up signing for $25 million or more per season. While fans would certainly prefer to add a starting pitcher or two, it should also not be a surprise if these Seattle Mariners rumors end up being correct and the team adds a power bat to the order.

[Featured Image by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images]

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