Jay Bruce is returning to the New York Mets.
The free agent outfielder has agreed to a 3-year, $39 million deal with the Mets, as first reported by ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick. The deal is pending a physical.
Bruce was acquired by the Mets in 2016 and did not perform well, batting just .219 in 50 games. However, he rebounded last season to club 29 homers in 103 games for New York. The Mets traded him to the Cleveland Indians midseason, and he continued to hit well. Bruce performed well in the postseason, hitting two home runs and driving in four in the ALDS. For the entire season, he batted .254 with 36 home runs.
Bruce was long mentioned as a possibility for the San Francisco Giants, but they apparently did not offer him a desirable deal. The Houston Astros also had interest in the 30-year-old.
