Jay Bruce sidelined 3-4 weeks with partially torn meniscus
Apr 3, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce (32) hits a two-run home run off St. Louis Cardinals starting pitcher Lance Lynn during the first inning at Great American Ball Park. (David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports)
Add right fielder Jay Bruce to the list of Cincinnati Reds that has taken residency on the club’s disabled list.
Jay Bruce will have surgery this week to repair partially torn meniscus in left knee. Expected to miss 3-4 weeks. #reds
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) May 5, 2014
Two hours prior to yesterday’s game, Bruce was scratched from the starting lineup due to soreness in his left knee. He did manage a pinch-hitting appearance, an appearance that was unsuccessful in the Reds 4-3, 10 inning victory over NL leading Milwaukee. The win gave the Redlegs three wins in the four-game set.
Bruce hasn’t exactly been tearing up opposing pitching. In 101 AB, he has crafted a slashline of .218/.355/.366 with only three home runs and 14 RBI.
But Bruce has been a reliable player over the past three seasons. The least number of games in which he has appeared in from 2011-2013 is 155.
And the Reds’ options aren’t that stellar. They recently DFA’d Roger Bernadina when Skip Schumaker was activated from the DL. According to Doug Gray of Blog Red Machine, here’s the choices the Reds front office could consider.
"Looking at other 40-man roster outfielders, it is bleak. Donald Lutz is off to an incredible start and spent time with the Reds last year, but he is dealing with a hamstring injury and while he isn’t on the disabled list, he has played once in the last 10 days. Yorman Rodriguez, off to a good start in Pensacola, is on the disabled list with an oblique strain. Ryan LaMarre is on the disabled list with a knee injury. Juan Duran is the only guy healthy at this point and he is overmatched right now in Double-A Pensacola."
If healthy, Lutz would be the best option (lefty bat with a little thump and spent time with the Reds lat season), but with the hamstring concerns, GM Walt Jocketty might be hesitant.
The club could attempt to bring back Bernadina, but there’s that DFA deal. There’s a process involved here. (H/T to Biz of Baseball)
Plus, Bernadina wasn’t faring well at the plate himself (.143/.294/.179 in 35 PA).
Bruce becomes the second Reds player this year to require this procedure. During spring training, Mat Latos felt a similar fate.