Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he had no set plans to get Jay Bruce into Sunday’s game for a final farewell, one last appearance before Bruce officially retires and rides off into the sunset. And indeed, Bruce did not enter the 4-2 loss to the Rays, leaving his last action coming against Toronto earlier in the week.
And, for Bruce, a full weekend to sit in the dugout and soak in the emotion of his farewell.
“It’s emotional, but the emotions are the right emotions; it’s bittersweet, but I’ve always been honest with myself. I’ve always tried to be extremely honest, positive or negative, and tried not to sugarcoat anything to myself,” Bruce said before Sunday’s game. “At some point, everyone stops playing baseball. I am fortunate to have had the career I have had, and I don’t take it for granted. I have so many people I need to thank, and ultimately, I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished.”
So, after his MLB career ends with 10 games and 39 plate appearances for the Yankees in 2021, what’s next for a 34-year-old who has known nothing but baseball for the last two decades?
For starters, daddy duty.
“I have no idea what’s next. I don’t have a plan, but my son starts kindergarten this year, so I will be a shuttle service at the very least,” Bruce smiled. “I now have a clean slate and pretty open schedule for the most part.”
Perhaps a huge relief for Bruce’s wife, Hannah, whom he thanked profusely in his exit interview, and noted he was looking forward to being her support system for once.
“It’s going to be a big change, and I would be naïve to think I’ll go home and it will be rainbows and sunshine the whole time,” Bruce said. “I dedicated myself to something for so long, I’ve never had a summer. Hannah and I started dating my senior year in high school, so she’s seen every step of the way, and has put so much of her life on pause to be part of this with me, and I can’t thank her enough. I look forward to her being able to do what she wants for essentially the first time.”
It’s a tale of sports wives throughout the professional landscape, especially in baseball, where the grind is 162 games over 187 days, plus spring training. Add in the postseason, and the baseball season can run for nine months in some years, not even counting offseason work.
Bruce, who has spent the last 15 years (including five Octobers) on the go, is incredibly thankful to his wife for being his rock.
“We have young kids, and a lot of that will be going on, but I’m so thankful to have someone who has been so supportive, the constant in my life of a game that is so volatile,” Bruce said. “It’s been an incredible ride, but throughout this whole process, she said she would support me 100 percent, as long as I don’t do it halfway – don’t be half-in, decide and commit to something. I appreciate that sentiment from her, and I look forward to our next chapter.”
And, Bruce says, as much as he loves the game of baseball, don’t be surprised if you see him back in a dugout or front office somewhere someday.
“I know I love baseball and always will; I play baseball, and I go home at night and watch baseball,” he said. “I’ll be keeping a close eye on the game, and I would not close the door on an opportunity to impact an organization in some role, because I love the game.”
A game, he says, he can bring a unique perspective to in a new role.
“I’m believe I have a unique perspective as one of the few people that really experienced different eras of the game,” Bruce said. “I came up in 2008, when only one or two guys threw 100 MPH, there weren’t a lot of advanced metrics, and certain abilities weren’t weighted as heavily as others. I have seen the transition to what the game is today, where every single decision is measured so intensely, and I appreciate both of those styles. I truly believe the best teams and players are the ones who marry those the best, and I look forward to watching the game grow.”
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