By Anthony Caruso III | Publisher
The Cincinnati Reds are expected to call up highly-touted prospect Jay Bruce before Tuesday night’s game with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Reds have been struggling with hitting from their outfielders.
Corey Patterson has a .201 batting average, while Ken Griffey Jr. has a .251 batting average. Adam Dunn also has a .252 batting average.
“He was ready for some time but we wanted to give him more time and give more opportunities to the guys we have here,” general manager Walt Jocketty said. “When Jay comes up, he will play a lot. We wouldn’t bring him up and not play him.”
READ MORE: Click here for our latest MLB coverage
Patterson is likely the odd man out when Bruce comes up. He had a .364 batting average with 10 home runs and 37 RBI’s in 49 games at the Triple-A level.
Bruce, who was the Reds Minor League Player of the Year last year, had a .319 batting average with 26 home runs and 89 RBI’s at all three levels. The 21-year-old was the 12th overall pick in the 2005 MLB Draft.
Patterson is the center fielder — which is the position that Bruce is expected on Tues. The veteran was 0-for-8 in their 18-inning loss to the San Diego Padres on Sun.
He also just has three hits in his last 34 at-bats.
READ MORE: Click here for our latest Sports coverage
“It just confirmed what everyone has been telling me,” Jocketty added, who wanted to see Bruce last week in Louisville. “You like to see guys from the organization that are good kids get an opportunity. He certainly has earned it.”
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Telegram, Tumblr, YouTube, and TruthSocial
Keep Independent Journalism Alive! Ad-free experience and Exclusive Premium-plus content. Join our Paid Substack for additional content for $10 per month. This is ad-free content. We believe that what you read matters and great writing is valuable. Through Substack, writers can flourish by being paid directly by their readers. © 2007-2023 The Capital Sports Report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcasted, rewritten, or redistributed.
