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Report: Mets agree to 3-year, $39M deal with Bruce

Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jay Bruce is on his way back to Queens.

The free-agent outfielder has reportedly agreed to a deal with the New York Mets, his team for parts of the past two seasons, according to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick.

It's a three-year, $39-million contract, reports Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, who added that completion of the deal is pending a physical. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Bruce will also receive a $3-million signing bonus.

Bruce will also receive a five-team no-trade clause as part of the deal, according to Ken Davidoff of the New York Post.

The Mets apparently told Bruce - an outfielder by trade - he may see some time at first base going forward, reports Mike Puma of the New York Post.

Bruce has only played 15 career games at first base; 12 of those appearances came last season. Using Bruce at first base would likely help ease the Mets' potential reliance on Dominic Smith, the highly-regarded prospect who is slated to be their starter at the position but struggled in his first taste of big-league action last summer.

Bruce first joined the Mets at the 2016 trade deadline, and stayed there for a little over a year before the Cleveland Indians acquired him in a waiver deal this past August. Over his first stint with the Mets, which lasted a total of 153 games, the 30-year-old hit .245/.313/.482 with 37 home runs and 94 RBIs.

In 2017, the three-time All-Star posted a .254/.324/.508 slash line with 36 homers - 27 of which came in New York - and 101 RBIs over 146 combined games between the Mets and Indians. He also hit a pair of homers in the Indians' ALDS loss to the Yankees.

New York beat out the San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros for Bruce's services, according to Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports. Bruce and the Astros reportedly met this week, Passan noted, but apparently couldn't reach an agreement, allowing the Mets to jump in.

For his career, Bruce has hit .249/.319/.472 (110 OPS+) with 277 homers, 272 doubles, and 838 RBIs across 10 seasons with the Mets, Indians, and Cincinnati Reds.

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