Jay Bruce, MVP – Most Valuable Phillie?
When the Phillies traded for Jay Bruce in the beginning of June, they had no idea how much they would rely on him, nor how valuable his bat would end up being to a then-first-place team.
But the day after trading for him, the team would lose their starting LF and leadoff man, Andrew McCutchen, to a torn ACL. The outfield, which was once a strength of the team, was suddenly decimated.
Enter Jay Bruce.
He started in a platoon situation with anyone else who could play left field but has quickly become, more or less, an everyday player.
Just a few weeks ago in a game against the Mets, manager Gabe Kapler was thinking of sitting Bruce against lefty Jason Vargas. Bruce convinced him otherwise, believing he was one of the best guys to play that day.
Good thing Kapler listened. Bruce ended up hitting a walk-off double in the 10th inning of that game.
That’s just one of the many examples of what Bruce has brought to the Phillies in his first month-plus with the club.
In 28 games with the Phillies, Bruce is hitting .291/.308/.641 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs. He hit 14 homers with the Mariners before the trade, giving him 10 home runs with two different ballclubs before the All-Star break, the first player in Major League history to accomplish the feat.
But Bruce’s bat wasn’t the only thing the Phillies acquired when they traded for him. Bruce is a true veteran, and his leadership is one of the things that helped the Phillies navigate a seven-game losing streak at the end of June.
Just listen to a post-game press conference of his. He seems to exude positivity, constantly praising his teammates. Most of all, he wants to play and be in the position to win the game for the Phillies.
Sure, Bruce can go through stretches where it seems like he forgot how to hit. He is, after all, a career .247 hitter. But considering what the Phillies gave up to get him – minor leaguer Jake Scheiner – it’s well worth the potential dry spells.
And considering the Phils have him under contract for next season too, and are on the hook for less than $3 million of the $21 million left on his contract, it’s been a great move.
When the Phillies traded for Bruce, they couldn’t have imagined getting this kind of production from him. And they’re lucky they got him when they did, or they could have been scrambling to find a replacement for Cutch.
Imagine where the Phillies would be without Bruce. Definitely more than 6.5 games out of first in the National League East. If he keeps this production up, the chants of “Bruuuuuuuuuce” at Citizens Bank Park will only get louder as the season progresses.
Featured Image: @JeffSkversky
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Categorized:Phillies