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MLB trade rumors: 5 players who should move after deadline

By Joshua Sadlock

SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 21: Starter Justin Verlander (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - JUNE 21: Starter Justin Verlander (Photo by Stephen Brashear/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 02: Jay Bruce #19 of the New York Mets circle the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 2, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 02: Jay Bruce #19 of the New York Mets circle the bases after hitting a home run in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on August 2, 2017 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

3. Jay Bruce

After a disastrous two-month stretch with the New York Mets after the trade deadline last year, Jay Bruce has bounced back in a big way in 2017. Bruce, who batted .219/.294/.391 with eight home runs in 50 games after the 2016 trade, was was so bad that the Mets spent their offseason trying to unload him. Keeping him has paid off with more production, but injuries to the starting rotation have the Mets well below .500.

Bruce has hit .260/.324/.528 with 29 home runs in 2017, and has been steady throughout. Notorious for his lengthy cold streaks, Bruce has slugged over .500 in every month of this season but one. He is hitting below .200 to start the month of August, but has two home runs in four games.

For a contender looking for a power bat on the cheap, Bruce is the best option left on the waiver wire. One of his hot streaks could carry a team into the playoffs. On the other hand, Bruce could just as easily become a black hole of strikeouts with a new team and drag a whole lineup into the abyss. There’s just no way of knowing for sure.

The Orioles are a potential fit for Bruce if Mark Trumbo’s injury does not heal quickly. He has a limited no-trade clause that allows him to block trades to eight teams, including the New York Yankees. The Yanks are also a good potential fit, and Bruce may be persuaded to accept a trade across town to hit in a lineup with Gary Sanchez and Aaron Judge. Kansas City could also show some interest as they try and stay in possession of a playoff spot.

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