Report: Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce out 3-4 weeks with knee injury
By Brad Rowland
It has been a rough start to the 2014 season for the Cincinnati Reds, and things just got uglier. Starting outfielder Jay Bruce was scratched from the lineup on Sunday as a result of a knee issue, and now, there is a report circulating that it will cost him 3 to 4 weeks of playing time.
Jay Bruce will have surgery this week to repair partially torn meniscus in left knee. Expected to miss 3-4 weeks. #reds
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) May 5, 2014
ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick brings a bit of clarity to Bruce’s injury, saying that it is a partially torn meniscus, and this is a tough blow to the Reds. Bruce is off to a bit of a slow start, hitting just .218/.355/.366 in 124 plate appearances, but he has contributed five stolen bases (unexpectedly) and is a steadying influence in the middle of the Cincinnati lineup.
The Reds are just 15-16 on the year despite grabbing back-to-back wins over the weekend, and losing their most consistent pure power hitter isn’t a good thing. Bruce has topped 30 home runs in three straight seasons (and 20 home runs in six straight), and if he actually misses a month, that pursuit could be sidetracked.
It remains to be seen whether the Reds will announce this injury in corroboration of this report, but a stint on the disabled list is almost a certainty at this point. Stay tuned.