On Friday, May 31, Seattle Mariner Jay Bruce joined elite company when he ripped the 300th home run of his Major League career over the center field fence in the bottom of the seventh inning of a home game against the Los Angeles Angels with Tyler Skaggs on the mound.

The home run made Bruce just the eighth current major league player to compile 300 home runs and 300 doubles in a career. The solo home run was Bruce’s 14th of the season and while Bruce’s numbers have continued to tail since his solid 2017 campaign, Bruce is improving after a difficult 2018 season and has already bested his home run total from last season by five in 47 fewer games. Bruce ended the game with his season batting line at a still dismal .212/.283/.533 with 25 extra base hits, 28 runs batted in, and an .816 OPS through 184 plate appearances and 47 games.

With the home run, Bruce joined Albert Pujols (642 home runs, 646 doubles), Miguel Cabrera (467, 564), Edwin Encarnación (393, 353), Nelson Cruz (367, 307), Curtis Granderson (338, 337), Ryan Braun (331, 379), and Robinson Canó (314, 547) as the only current players in the Major Leagues to be a part of the 300 home runs/300 doubles club.

Just two days after Jay Bruce cemented his name in history while wearing a Mariners jersey, the three-time All-Star was dealt to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for Minor League third baseman Jake Scheiner.

The Philadelphia Phillies are in need of an additional outfielder with the loss of center fielder Odúbel Herrera who is currently on administrative leave after being charged with domestic violence. For the time being, Scott Kingery and Andrew McCutchen have taken over center field in Herrera’s absence. Bruce will fill a much needed void in the outfield and will most likely take over left with McCutchen in center and Bryce Harper in right.

While Bruce is not known for his defense, he is a solid filler in left and brings his powerful bat to the table. While Bruce will not be winning any Gold Gloves or batting titles this year, he has tremendous pop with the bat and that is all the Phillies will be asking of him, to go deep.

Bruce also has been a stud playing at Citizens Bank Park in his career, hitting .294/.354/.559 with 10 home runs and 27 runs batted in through just 36 starts there. To be blunt, Bruce rakes in Philadelphia.

As for the Seattle Mariners, they will recieve Jake Scheiner who had a below-average season this year with High-A Clearwater, batting .256/.326/.353 in 179 trips to the plate. Scheiner had a far better season the year prior when spent 2018 at A-ball Lakewood where he slashed .296/.372/.470 while slugging 13 home runs.

“Ok, there’s a hint of a Kyle Seager type trajectory in there,” one National League scouting coordinator said according to an article from SB Nation’s Lookout Landing. “That may be wishful thinking, but there’s a line you can follow.”

All in all, the Mariners will recieve a solid prospect they can use to build towards the future while taking the bulk of Bruce’s contract off their payroll. The Phillies will fill a much needed hole and get a solid bat with great power in return for Jake Scheiner.