A year after signing Marlon Byrd to a two-year contract, the Philadelphia Phillies have dealt the outfielder to the Cincinnati Reds.
The Reds confirmed the move via their Twitter account:
Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reported earlier on Wednesday that a deal was in place to send Byrd to the Reds.
Byrd had a standout 2014 season with the struggling Phillies, posting a career-high 25 home runs while hitting .264 with 85 RBI. That production made him a valuable free-agent asset.
John Fay of The Cincinnati Enquirer shared some statistical perspective on the move:
Prior to the deal taking place, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Daily News offered his thoughts on Byrd:
For teams in need of a right-hand hitting corner outfielder, Marlon Byrd is the most attractive candidate on the market, regardless of his contract. As long as Byrd is willing to waive his limited no-trade clause … he could be the first Phillie out the door.
Corey Seidman of CSN Philly noted just how well Byrd was performing during last season:
Cincinnati will be Byrd’s eighth MLB team.
Before being dealt, Byrd spoke about wanting to remain with the team that drafted him, per Jim Salisbury of CSN Philly:
“I don’t want to get traded,” Byrd said in July. “I signed a two-year deal here for a reason. The thought process was to retire as a Phillie. At the same time, this is a business and I know how it works. If trading me makes the organization better, I have to go with it.”
In his contract with the Phillies, Byrd had a four-team no-trade clause. Of those teams, the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Mariners—two teams that coveted the outfielder before the 2014 trade deadline—were on the list, according to Salisbury.
What Byrd brings to Cincinnati is a strong right-handed bat and a consistent defensive player in the outfield.
The Phillies add a prospect that can help them build toward the future. Philly is in desperate need of a turnaround after finishing 73-89 and in the cellar of the National League East.
The two teams are heading in completely opposite directions, but the deal ultimately helps both franchises. Byrd, who was also dealt by the Phillies in 2005, has another chance to compete on a team with hopes of contending in the postseason.
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