The Reds may be able to send Bruce to the National League West.
The Giants are going to miss right fielder Hunter Pence for a while, and there’s no guarantee he will be 100 percent when he comes back. That being said, there’s no guarantee Bruce will stay healthy either, but with the Giants missing one of their best hitters, Bruce’s bat would add more power to an outfield that is 16th in wOBA (.320) and 22nd in slugging (.394).
The other team that could use Bruce is the Dodgers. They’ve dealt with an overcrowding of outfielders in past seasons, and while it has provided insurance against injuries, it’s not been an ideal situation.
The logjam has been (somewhat) cleared recently. Earlier this month the Dodgers designated Carl Crawford for assignment, adding his salary to the pile of dead money on the team’s books. Yasiel Puig has spent time on the disabled list and Andre Either broke a bone in his shin and doesn’t have a set date he will return.
Of the two teams, the Dodgers have the deeper farm system, suggesting they would be better suited to make a trade. While that may be true, trading for Bruce would add a left-handed bat to a lineup that has several lefties. But considering the Dodgers are trying Howie Kendrick in the outfield, Bruce could be a welcome addition.
The Giants may decide to weather the storm and rely on its pitching staff rather than trade for a bat. They have maintained their lead in the division with Madison Bumgarner, Cueto and Jeff Samardzija giving the Giants one of the best 1-2-3 combos in the game.
Next: Zack Cozart