Mets place struggling Bruce on DL with right hip soreness
Jay Bruce's miserable 2018 season continued Tuesday, as the New York Mets placed the outfielder on the 10-day disabled list with right hip soreness, retroactive to June 18.
It's not clear how much time Bruce will miss.
Bruce has only played in one of the Mets' last five contests due to his sore hip. He went 0-for-4 on Sunday after sitting out for three straight days, and was a late scratch on Monday when the issue flared up once again.
"He wanted to play really bad," manager Mickey Callaway said ahead of Monday's game in Colorado, according to Newsday's Tim Healy. "I tried to make the decision for him. He's such a team guy that it's sometimes hard to understand he might need a rest."
The 31-year-old Bruce is currently mired in the worst season of his 11-year career, slashing .212/.292/.321 (72 OPS+) with only three home runs and 12 doubles. Before the hip problem flared up he had missed some time due to back soreness.
Bruce is now the eighth member of the depleted Mets who is on the disabled list, and their third injured outfielder, joining starters Juan Lagares and Yoenis Cespedes. With Bruce now sidelined, the Mets only have three natural outfielders on their active roster in Brandon Nimmo, Michael Conforto, and Jose Bautista.
First baseman Dominic Smith, who's played just six career games in the outfield as a professional, is likely to get the bulk of the playing time in left field during Bruce's absence, according to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. Smith is starting in left on Tuesday.
Reliever Tim Peterson was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to fill Bruce's spot on the active roster.