NEW YORK – Outfielder Jay Bruce agreed a minor league deal with the New York Yankees on Saturday and will try to win a job in the big league spring training sessions.
The 33-year-old has the opportunity as a left-handed bat in a straight main line. The Yankees outfield features Aaron Hicks, the player’s center fielder, and right, Aaron Judge, who hits him on the right.
Clint Frazier, another right-handed player, is the best candidate for the left field, with Michael Tauchman and Tyler Wade, both left-handed players, also competitors, but more likely to spend time as a backup.
Brett Gardner has become a free agent and talks to the Yankees, but the team and the 37-year-old left-handed striker broke up with the money. Gardner joined the Yankees in 2008 and had been their oldest player.
Bruce hit .198 with six homers and 14 RBIs for Philadelphia in 96 bats during the short-lived pandemic season. He is a three-time All-Star with an average of .245, 318 home runs and 948 RBI over 13 major league seasons with the Reds (2008-15), Mets (2016-18), Indians (2018 ), Mariners (2019) and Phillies.