Mets acquire Jay Bruce from Reds

The Mets have acquired outfielder Jay Bruce from the Reds, as first reported by Buster Olney of ESPN.com. Infielder Dilson Herrera and left-hander Max Wotell head to Cincinnati in the deal.

Though the deal appeared close early Monday morning, it was put on hold due to medical concerns about one of the minor-leaguers involved in the original agreement. The Mets and Reds re-structured the deal, coming to terms on a final agreement with less than an hour before the deadline.

Bruce drew interest from many teams in recent days, with the Dodgers and Giants each spending time as the front-runner to acquire him from Cincinnati. The full return to the Reds is not yet known.

The Mets been pursuing Bruce for a full year, and almost acquired him from the Reds last year after their deal for Carlos Gomez fell through. New York then made a move for Yoenis Cespedes, and Bruce stayed with Cincinnati.

Bruce, 29, was an All-Star this season and has posted a .265/.316/.559 line with 25 home runs in 97 games for Cincinnati. He is under control for next season, as his contract includes a $13 million option.

Bruce will join Yoenis Cespedes, Michael Conforto, Curtis Granderson and Justin Ruggiano in a crowded outfield mix for the Mets.

Herrera, 22, has hit .276/.327/.462 with 13 home runs in 86 games at Triple-A Las Vegas so far this season and projects as a second baseman in the major leagues.

Wotell, 19, was the Mets’ 3rd-round pick in last year’s draft and currently ranks as the 16th-best prospect in New York’s system, per MLB.com. Wotell, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs in at 195 lbs., is known for a funky delivery and is a high-upside, athletic left-hander who could develop into a major-league starter.