The Indians have an obstacle to clear if they want Jay Bruce
The Indians, short on outfielders, have been mentioned as a possible suitor for the Reds’ Jay Bruce.
There is just one problem: Bruce added the Indians to his no-trade list in November, enabling him to block any proposed trade to Cleveland, a major-league source said.
The Indians still could acquire Bruce, but likely would need to give him some kind of financial inducement to entice him to waive his no-trade protection.
Prior to the change, Bruce’s eight-team list included the Yankees, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Athletics, Rays, Marlins, Twins and Diamondbacks, according to ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick.
Bruce substituted the Indians for the Blue Jays — and the Jays nearly acquired him in February in a three-team deal that would have sent outfielder Michael Saunders to the Angels and prospects to the Reds.
The deal collapsed because of medical concerns about a Jays minor leaguer who was headed to the Reds, sources said at the time.
Bruce, 29, since has increased his trade value, batting .285 with 16 homers and a .930 OPS. Any team that acquires him will inherit his $13 million option for 2017".
Saunders, also 29, has performed even better than Bruce, proving yet again that sometimes the best deals are the ones that are not made. He is batting .304 with 15 homers, and his .971 OPS as an outfielder leads the majors, according to STATS LLC.
The Indians, without the injured Michael Brantley, currently are using Lonnie Chisenhall, Rajai Davis, Tyler Naquin and Jose Ramirez in their outfield.
Abraham Almonte, who is eligible to return from his 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs on July 3, hit a home run in his first Triple A rehab game on Wednesday.
MLB.com first reported last November that the Indians were on Bruce’s no-trade list.
NORRIS: NEXT TO GO FOR THE BRAVES?
The Marlins, looking for starting pitching, are doing background work on Braves right-hander Bud Norris, according to major-league sources.
No deal appears close, but Norris has a 2.82 ERA in four starts since returning to the Braves’ rotation on June 4, and a 2.43 ERA in 40 2/3 innings since May 1, including 12 relief appearances.
Never mind that the Braves yanked Norris from their rotation after five starts, when his ERA was 8.74. The shortage of available quality starters has interested teams scrambling for help.
Norris, who is still owed just over half his $2.5 million salary, is a free agent at the end of the season. Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports first mentioned the Marlins’ interest.
