The decision to trade Jay Bruce on Monday isn't sitting well with many Cincinnati Reds players.

"I think I see the plan," Homer Bailey said. "They talked about us losing 100 games at the beginning of the year, and s---, we're damn sure trying, aren't we?"

The Reds traded Bruce, who leads the National League with 80 RBIs, to the New York Mets for 22-year-old second baseman Dilson Herrera and 19-year-old pitcher Max Wotell.

"The Mets got the better of us on that one," Bailey said.

The Reds had gone 9-3 leading up to the non-waiver trade deadline, but they were still 20 games under .500.

"I think it's kind of like you see the balloon getting bigger, and then, all of a sudden, you poke a hole in it," Bailey said. "Apparently, they know a lot more than we do."