Jay Bruce Announces Retirement From Major League Baseball
Jay Bruce will play his final baseball game today against the Tampa Bay Rays. Jay Bruce has announced his retirement from major league baseball. Bruce has gotten off to a horrid start with the Yankees in 2021 which likely prompted his decision to walk away from the game.
via Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic:
“After 14 incredible seasons, I’ve decided to make the very difficult decision to retire from baseball. All I ever wanted to be ’when I grew up’ was a baseball player, and to say that I got to live out my dream would be the understatement of a lifetime. This sport gave me more than I could’ve ever asked for,” Bruce wrote as part of his announcement.
Bruce, 34, will end his 14 year career after today. During that time, the left-handed slugger suited up for the Reds, Mets, Indians, Mariners, Phillies, and Yankees. In 2021, Bruce got off to a terrible start with New York. He currently sports a batting line of .118/.235/.446 with one home run in 34 at-bats. Bruce either decided to walk away from the game or the Yankees forced his hand. Meaning they were going to cut him and Bruce didn’t want to go through that.
Bruce originally came up with the Reds and was the number one farmhand in the sport in 2008. He placed 5th in the rookie of the year ballot and played a long successful career with the Reds. Bruce eventually signed a lucrative contract with the Mets and was eventually part of that Robinson Cano trade.
Bruce will end his career sporting a batting line of .244/.314/.467 with 319 home runs.