Jay Bruce named NL Player of the Week

Veteran outfielder Jay Bruce has had a quick rise to the top in Philadelphia. After being acquired by the Phillies from Seattle on June 2, he was viewed as a bat off of the bench who could give guys some rest in the outfield and even first base. Oh, how things have changed. Andrew McCutchen’s injury and Odubel Herrera’s administrative leave have put Bruce into a starting role and he’s rolled with it since getting the opportunity.

Bruce’s performance in his first week in red pinstripes earned him National League Player of the Week honors. This is the first time that he’s won the award since September 9, 2012 and the first Phillies player to win Player of the Week since Cole Hamels won National League Pitcher of the Week on July 26, 2014.

In six games since joining the Phillies, Bruce is hitting .381 with two doubles, four home runs, six runs scored and 11 RBIs. He went 1-for-3 in his debut on June 3, before powering the Phillies to a 9-6 win with two home runs on June 4. Philadelphia is 4-2 since Bruce joined the lineup.

Bruce had been hot at the plate for the Mariners prior to the trade as well. In his last 36 at-bats, the 32-year-old native of Beaumont, Texas, is hitting slashing .389/.450/1.000 with four doubles, six home runs and 13 RBIs. He’s hitting .308 over the last 30 days with an OPS of 1.090.

Jay Bruce and the Phillies start a series with the Diamondbacks on Monday for three games before heading to Atlanta this weekend for a match-up with the Braves. Atlanta enters play this week one game behind Philadelphia for first place in the National League East.