Bruce making it hard for Yanks to let him go

DUNEDIN, Fla. — Jay Bruce was frustrated when the Mets first asked him to play first base to keep his powerful lefty bat in the lineup. It wasn’t the ask to learn a new position that had the veteran outfielder frustrated; it was his sense of responsibility. Bruce wanted to be good at it. He didn’t want to cost pitchers or his team with mistakes. It worried him and obviously pushed him.

That was nearly six years ago and this spring, Bruce has handled first base — a position he has now played 50 games at — smoothly and comfortably.

That versatility (he can play both corners in the outfield) and power left-handed bat to help protect their bevy of righthanded sluggers have him making a solid push to make the Yankees’ Opening Day roster. That decision could be coming soon, with a March 25 deadline. A week from Thursday, a scheduled off day, Bruce, a non-roster invitee here on a minor league contract, has an opt-out if he’s not added to the 40-man roster.

“We’ll see what happens,” Bruce said. “What ends up happening here is partly up to me, obviously, but it’s up to the people making the decisions as well.”

So far, Bruce is forcing the Yankees to make a tough decision. In 10 games, Bruce is 6-for-23 (.261) with two homers and three RBI. He’s struck out six times and walked twice. He’s committed one error.

“Jay Bruce can help this team,” one National League scout said this week. “He looks as good, meaning healthy, as I’ve seen him in the last few years. His bat is still dangerous. With this (Yankees’) right-handed lineup, he can help this team.

“Hell, he could still help a lot of teams.”

After three seasons struggling with injuries, those numbers are more similar to his prime career numbers — a sign that the soon-to-be 34-year-old is healthy.

“Obviously I’ve had some struggles the last few years, I do kind of give that to injuries, but I feel like when I’m on the field and I’m healthy, I’m pretty much in line with mycareer numbers,” Bruce said. “I feel good, I feel normal, I feel like myself, you know, I know that I can help a team, I know that I can, you know, be a part of a winning team and help a team win a championship.”

Those career numbers include 318 home runs from the left-hand side, with a swing the Yankees have long believed would fit their ballpark perfectly.

To add Bruce to the 40-man roster, however, the Yankees would have to take a player off and consider their roster make-up. Mike Ford, who has been the backup first baseman, has minor league options and can easily be sent to Triple-A in case of emergency. Mike Tauchman, a more athletic lefty hitter who can also cover center field along with both corner, however, is out of options and if he is removed from the 40-man roster, the Yankees risk losing him to another team. After a miserable 2020, Tauchman is hitting .238 (5-for-21) with two homers and three RBI with two errors in eight games.