New York Mets acquire NL RBI leader Jay Bruce from Cincinnati Reds

A year ago, the New York Mets were close to getting Jay Bruce from the Cincinnati Reds before acquiring Yoenis Cespedes from the Detroit Tigers.

Now they will have Bruce and Cespedes in their outfield.

The Mets obtained Bruce from Cincinnati prior to Monday's non-waiver trading deadline for infielder Dilson Herrera and minor league left-hander Max Wotell.

Bruce, a three-time All-Star, is batting .265 with 25 home runs and a league-leading 80 RBIs. He is producing on a team-friendly contract as Bruce is owed $4.3 million of his 12.5 million salary for this season and his contract contains a $13 million club option for next season.

Bruce will joining one of the least effective offenses in baseball, especially with runners in scoring position. The Mets are 54-50, two games back of the final National League wild-card spot but have the worst average (.206) with runners in scoring position this season and have a .172 mark with two outs and a runner in scoring position.

The left-handed hitting Bruce is hitting .360 with runners in scoring position for the last-place Reds.

Acquiring Bruce adds to a crowded outfield for the Mets with Curtis Granderson in right field, Cespedes in left field and Michael Conforto in center field. Bruce also gives the Mets insurance if Cespedes opts out and does not re-sign.

Herrera, 22, batted .215 over 49 big league games in 2014-15. This season, he is hitting .276 with 13 homers and 55 RBIs at Triple-A Las Vegas.

Wotell, 19, is 3-1 with a 3.94 ERA in six starts for Kingston of the Rookie level Appalachian League. He was a third-round pick in the 2015 draft.

The Mets also reacquired left-hander Jonathan Niese from the Pittsburgh Pirates for left-hander Antonio Bastardo.