Former outfielder Mariners and DH, Jay Bruce, just declared he’ll retire after today’s game against the Rays. While the 34-year-old only played 47 games in a Mariners uniform, before even starting his professional career, he had a strong bond with the Mariners.
Jay Bruce was Ken Griffey’s huge fan.
One of Bruce’s cool stories was his “Kid” obsession. At age 9, Bruce called the Kingdom and asked for Ken Griffey Jr. He couldn’t speak to Griffey over the internet, so he ended up playing for the Reds. So, Jay Bruce was able to put on a Mariners jersey as his favourite player did.
Jay Bruce, Mariners
Bruce joined the Mariners as part of the Mets’ Jarred Kelenic kit for Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz. After the trade was full, we knew Jay Bruce wouldn’t be in T-Mobile Part for long. The Mariners didn’t need a seasoned outfielder and DH, plus the M’s tried to shed salaries.
As a Mariner, Bruce hit.212 with OPS.816. The three-time All-Star hit 14 home runs, driving for 28 RBIs. Because Bruce proved he had plenty left in the tank, for Jake Scheiner, the M’s should sell him to the Phillies.
Bruce’s MLB career
The native Texas owns a 20.0 WAR, .244 batting average, .781 OPS, 319 home runs, and 951 RBIs. Jay won’t end up in Cooperstown, but he’ll probably be in the Reds Hall of Fame. He spent nine years in Cincinnati, hitting 233 Red home runs.
He made three wearing white and red uniforms for the All-Star team, while finishing 10th twice in MVP voting. Bruce is the ideal example of a home run hitter who sometimes struck out, and was at the forefront of the trend.
We wish him and his family the best!
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