Bruce was acquired by the Mets on August 1 in the hope that he’d boost a then-sagging lineup
Jay Bruce is struggling to the point where he’s almost an automatic out. And his at-bats have devolved into events where Mets fans simply hope he doesn’t hit into a double-play if there are less than two outs and runners on base.
On Wednesday against the Nationals, Bruce came up in the first inning with the bases loaded and one out. After fouling off two pitches he could’ve driven, he took a fastball for strike three.
Bruce’s presence in the lineup, while the team fights for a playoff spot, has become an enormous problem.
But manager Terry Collins insinuated on Wednesday that there’s no one else he’s comfortable playing over Bruce. Excuse me?
Since coming to the Mets, Bruce has hit .192/.271/.315 with four home runs and four doubles.
Bruce hasn’t had an extra-base hit since Sept. 1 and has struck out 21 times in his last 59 at-bats, but there’s no one else who could possibly step in?
Yes, the options aren’t terrific, but it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t better the .192/.271/.315 line Bruce has put up over the last six weeks.
And something has to be done if Bruce doesn’t snap out of this immediately.
Collins’ position with Bruce also doesn’t jive with the “you hit, you play” mantra he’s honoring when it comes to the catching situation. And that makes you think that perhaps the edict to play Bruce is coming from above.
Wherever it’s coming from, it needs to be reevaluated. Because Bruce is bringing down the Mets’ chances.
In addition to his horrendous performance at the plate, Bruce is a liability in the outfield. So there’s no reason to force him in there.
Michael Conforto, who has hit .214/.303/.407 this season, was crushing the ball for Triple-A Las Vegas during his second stint there last month.
He’s had his own issues this season, but giving him a few games against right-handed pitching to see what he can do is worth a shot.
Remember, Conforto was one of the Mets’ best hitters during the second half of last season, was arguably their best hitter early this season, and still has tons of potential.
Then there’s Alejandro De Aza, who fans and writers alike were begging the Mets to designate for assignment in June. He then hit .300/.375/.531 in July, .164/.265/.329 in August, and has hit .313/.400/.500 in a small sample in September.
Perhaps they could take a gamble and see if De Aza recaptures the form he had in July.
There’s also Brandon Nimmo, who had a few big moments during his first call-up but has struggled overall.
Again, none of the above options are perfect. But they’re all a safe bet to do better than Bruce has since he was acquired. And they’re all better options defensively.
The Mets have a golden chance to turn a season of frustration into one that extends well into October.
Bruce isn’t helping that goal right now. And that — not who he was acquired for and not his option for next year — should be all that matters right now.
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Bruce was acquired by the Mets on August 1 in the hope that he’d boost a then-sagging lineup
Jay Bruce is struggling to the point where he’s almost an automatic out. And his at-bats have devolved into events where Mets fans simply hope he doesn’t hit into a double-play if there are less than two outs and runners on base.
On Wednesday against the Nationals, Bruce came up in the first inning with the bases loaded and one out. After fouling off two pitches he could’ve driven, he took a fastball for strike three.
Bruce’s presence in the lineup, while the team fights for a playoff spot, has become an enormous problem.
But manager Terry Collins insinuated on Wednesday that there’s no one else he’s comfortable playing over Bruce. Excuse me?
Since coming to the Mets, Bruce has hit .192/.271/.315 with four home runs and four doubles.
Bruce hasn’t had an extra-base hit since Sept. 1 and has struck out 21 times in his last 59 at-bats, but there’s no one else who could possibly step in?
Yes, the options aren’t terrific, but it’s hard to believe they wouldn’t better the .192/.271/.315 line Bruce has put up over the last six weeks.
And something has to be done if Bruce doesn’t snap out of this immediately.
Collins’ position with Bruce also doesn’t jive with the “you hit, you play” mantra he’s honoring when it comes to the catching situation. And that makes you think that perhaps the edict to play Bruce is coming from above.
Wherever it’s coming from, it needs to be reevaluated. Because Bruce is bringing down the Mets’ chances.
In addition to his horrendous performance at the plate, Bruce is a liability in the outfield. So there’s no reason to force him in there.
Michael Conforto, who has hit .214/.303/.407 this season, was crushing the ball for Triple-A Las Vegas during his second stint there last month.
He’s had his own issues this season, but giving him a few games against right-handed pitching to see what he can do is worth a shot.
Remember, Conforto was one of the Mets’ best hitters during the second half of last season, was arguably their best hitter early this season, and still has tons of potential.
Then there’s Alejandro De Aza, who fans and writers alike were begging the Mets to designate for assignment in June. He then hit .300/.375/.531 in July, .164/.265/.329 in August, and has hit .313/.400/.500 in a small sample in September.
Perhaps they could take a gamble and see if De Aza recaptures the form he had in July.
There’s also Brandon Nimmo, who had a few big moments during his first call-up but has struggled overall.
Again, none of the above options are perfect. But they’re all a safe bet to do better than Bruce has since he was acquired. And they’re all better options defensively.
The Mets have a golden chance to turn a season of frustration into one that extends well into October.
Bruce isn’t helping that goal right now. And that — not who he was acquired for and not his option for next year — should be all that matters right now.
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