Hold the phone on the Mets acquiring Jay Bruce.
A deal that was in place to acquire the Cincinnati Reds rightfielder is being held up over medical concerns, according to multiple reports.
Newsday’s Marc Carig and others had reported that a deal was in place for the Cincinnati Reds rightfielder. The Mets would send outfield prospect Brandon Nimmo and two lower-level prospects to the Reds, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post and Tim Brown of Yahoo! Sports.
However, the deal is being held up over medical concerns with one of the Mets’ prospects, according to multiple reports. Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported that the concern was over a minor-leaguer, not Nimmo.
If the trade is completed, the likely plan is to keep Bruce in rightfield, thus displacing Curtis Granderson, Carig reported.
Bruce, a three-time All-Star, would bring a big bat to a Mets club that has struggled mightily at the plate. The 29-year-old Bruce is hitting .265 with a .316 on-base percentage, 25 home runs and 80 RBIs in 97 games.
The Mets rank last in baseball in batting average (.237) and third-to-last in runs scored (381) and RBIs (371).
Nimmo made his MLB debut this season. He played in 18 games for the Mets, hitting .236 with .300 on-base percentage, one home run and five RBIs.
The holdup over medicals is reminiscent of last year’s trade deadline, when a deal that would have sent Carlos Gomez to the Mets in exchange for Wilmer Flores fell through the night before the deadline.
..... - Newsday