By Matt Rappa, Sports Talk Philly editor 
The Philadelphia Phillies are close to acquiring their left-handed hitter to bolster their bench — three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner OF Jay Bruce from the Seattle Mariners — according to ESPN's Jeff Passan, adding the deal "is expected to be finalized within the next 24 hours."
"[The clubs] are not far enough along that a deal is imminent," Passan later writes. "The sides have talked about Bruce, Seattle is willing to deal him and Philadelphia needs a bench bat. No trade agreed to, however."
It is not yet known who the Phillies will send to Seattle in return. If finalized, the trade would be the second between the two clubs since December, when the Phillies sent 1B Carlos Santana and SS J.P. Crawford to Seattle for SS Jean Segura, RHP Juan Nicasio and LHP James Pazos.
This season, Bruce, 32, has slugged 14 home runs over 47 games with the Mariners, coupled with 28 RBI, 16 walks, 53 strikeouts and a .212/.283/.533 slash line spanning 184 plate appearances. Bruce's 14 home runs would lead the Phillies, one more than Rhys Hoskins' 13.
The Force was strong with Jay Bruce tonight. #TrueToTheBlue pic.twitter.com/SEQ5zGAATK
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) June 1, 2019
Exactly one week ago, FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that the Phillies are expected to "seek a left-handed hitter for their bench," ahead of the July 31 trade deadline, "in addition to whatever pitching needs might arise."
Rosenthal suggested the Washington Nationals' Matt Adams, and added that the ideal left-handed hitter for the Phillies would be "an experienced player who is comfortable coming off the bench and can hit for power."
Bruce fits the role nicely; through 56 career plate appearances as a pinch-hitter, the 12-year veteran is slashing .283/.393/.457 with three doubles, one triple, one home run, seven RBI, nine walks and 15 strikeouts. Overall, the slugger has exactly 300 career home runs, with 233 of them coming as a member of the Cincinnati Reds from his debut in May 2008, to August 2016.
Mariners are deep in sell mode. “Trying to trade everyone,” as one rival put it. Beyond Bruce, also talking about Encarnacion, Healy, Gordon, Beckham, Leake, etc. Talks said to be “ongoing” with Phillies on Bruce.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) June 1, 2019
Bruce is still a reliable starter; this season, he has committed only four combined errors among 167 chances at the first base, left field and right field positions. He could spell either Hoskins, Andrew McCutchen, or Bryce Harper time off, or the Phillies could choose to play Bruce in left and McCutchen in center at the same time.
In 38 career games at Citizens Bank Park, Bruce has slashed .294/.354/.559 with six doubles, 10 home runs, 27 RBI, 14 walks and 34 strikeouts spanning 158 plate appearances. Bruce appeared in 247 games with the Phillies' division-rival New York Mets in parts of the 2016, 2017 and 2018 seasons. According to The Athletic's Matt Gelb, the Phillies "have had interest in Bruce for years dating back to Mets days."
Bruce is owed $14 million this season, as well as $14 million in 2020. It is not yet known how much money the Mariners would cover in the deal, but the Phillies are expected to cover "most," according to Gelb.
