Mariners trade rumors: Seattle has reached out about Jay Bruce

The Mariners are one of the teams that have expressed an interest in Reds outfielder Jay Bruce, according to Jerry Crasnick of ESPN and Baseball America.

As of right now, the Mariners outfield has Nori Aoki, Seth Smith and Leonys Martin with Luis Sardinas and Franklin Guttierez on the bench. Adding Bruce to the outfield would bolster their depth a bit.

The Mariners are currently six games back of the AL West lead, but are four games back of a Wild Card spot. Though the Mariners aren’t exactly buyers this season, they are likely to make a trade or two that will help them in the long run.

Bruce’s contract is up this season, but includes an option for 2017. If the Mariners were to acquire Bruce, an extension might be something they would look into.

The Reds were previously said to be “picking up the pace” on Bruce talks, with the Indians, Nationals, Rangers, Dodgers, Giants and Orioles all interested.