NEW YORK — Jay Bruce and the New York Mets have finalized a $39 million, three-year deal to bring his big bat back to Queens.

The Mets announced Bruce's signing Tuesday night. They have scheduled a press conference for Wednesday morning.

The 30-year-old Bruce had a career-high 36 home runs along with a .254 average and 101 RBIs last season. He hit 29 of those homers with the Mets before an August trade sent him to Cleveland.

Bruce will get $10 million this season and $14.5 million in each of the following two years. He can designate five teams each year that he cannot be traded to without his consent.

Bruce said in a statement he is "excited to return to the Mets to help finish what we set out to do at the beginning of last season."

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