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Phillies in trade talks to acquire Mariners’ veteran outfielder Jay Bruce

The Phillies appear to be preparing for a roster without Odubel Herrera for a while.

Seattle Mariners' Jay Bruce celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 31, 2019, in Seattle.
Seattle Mariners' Jay Bruce celebrates in the dugout after hitting a solo home run off Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Tyler Skaggs during the seventh inning of a baseball game Friday, May 31, 2019, in Seattle.Read moreStephen Brashear / AP

LOS ANGELES -- The Phillies appear to be preparing for a roster without Odubel Herrera for a while. With the center fielder’s status in limbo as the team awaits a decision from Major League Baseball in regards to his Memorial Day simple-assault arrest in Atlantic City, a Phillies source confirmed talks with the Seattle Mariners about acquiring veteran slugger Jay Bruce.

Manager Gabe Kapler would not talk specifically about the Phillies’ interest in Bruce, which was first reported by ESPN, but he did address the team’s need for left-handed hitting help.

“I think it’s clear that a left-handed bat would be helpful for us,” Kapler said before Saturday night’s game against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. “Speaking generally, I think it’s always good to have a veteran pinch-hitter, a guy who can have an experienced and high-quality plate appearance in a big moment.”

Bruce, 32, hit his 300th career home run Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels. He has 14 home runs this season and is hitting just .212, with 35 hits in 165 at-bats. But 25 of his hits have been for extra bases, which explains his .816 OPS.

He can play first base and both corner-outfield positions. Bruce has started 20 games in right field, six in left field, and 15 at first base this season. He also has been the designated hitter three times. He would likely be more of a bench player with the Phillies.

With Herrera possibly facing a suspension, the Phillies have a potential shortage of left-handed bats for a while. The only two regulars who hit from the left side are right fielder Bryce Harper and switch-hitting second baseman Cesar Hernandez. It could be argued that even with Herrera, they had a shortage of quality left-handed bats.

Herrera was hitting .222 with one home run and 12 extra-base hits before being placed on administrative leave by Major League Baseball on Tuesday. His spot on the roster was filled by the left-handed hitting Nick Williams, who has been in a season-long slump that had led to his demotion to triple-A Lehigh Valley last month. Since returning to the Phillies, Williams was hitless in eight at-bats with six strikeouts before Saturday.

The Phillies’ only other left-handed hitter is switch-hitting catcher Andrew Knapp.

Overall, Phillies left-handed hitters were batting .242 with a .331 on-base percentage and .741 OPS before Saturday’s game. All three numbers ranked 16th or lower in baseball. The Phillies’ 19 home runs from their left-handed bats ranked 23rd. Ten have been provided by Harper and six by Hernandez.

The Dodgers, in contrast, have six left-handed hitters, including four regulars. The Dodgers’ left-handed batters are hitting a league-best .293, with 60 home runs and a major-league best .926 OPS.