Bruce would waive no-trade clause for deal to winner

With the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline a month away, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Jay Bruce continues to draw a lot of attention, and the 29-year-old is open to the idea of changing homes and waiving his no-trade clause to support a deal to a winner.

"I would consider waiving the no-trade clause for all types of reasons," Bruce told MLB.com's Mark Sheldon. "There's no blanket reason I wouldn't. I'm open to all possibilities, but it would be situation to situation.

"If I am moved, which has seemed likely for the last year-and-a-half, I'd like to go where the team is mostly likely to win. Teams that want me are likely seeking somebody to help them win."

There's no team in baseball winning more than the Cleveland Indians, who secured their 13th consecutive win against the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday, tying a franchise record.

The Indians have reportedly been interested in Bruce, but are also one of eight clubs on his no-trade list.

Indians general manager Mike Chernoff is interested in exploring the trade market for upgrades, but may wait for the return of one of the team's biggest stars rather than spend a fortune in prospects to acquire an impact bat such as Bruce.

"The highest-impact 'acquisition' we could make is getting Michael Brantley back on the field and healthy," Chernoff told MLB.com's Jordan Bastian. "And, I think we're optimistic based on how that progression has started, and hopefully he can be that guy for us, rather than an external acquisition. At the same time, we're going to explore every avenue."

Bruce is having one of the finest seasons of his career and sits among the National League leaders in several offensive categories.