Marlon Byrd is off to the Reds. Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
The Cincinnati Reds added veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd in a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies for minor-league pitching prospect Ben Lively on Wednesday.
Byrd is due $8 million next season on the back end of a two-year contract that includes an $8 million team option for 2016. The Reds received cash from the Phillies as part of the deal to pay a portion of Byrd’s salary.
“Marlon will give us power and run production, and he can play left field,” Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. “We expect him to provide a big bat and balance in the middle of our lineup.”
The 37-year-old Byrd has a career .278 batting average with 131 home runs in 13 major league seasons with the Phillies, Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox.
The Reds are hoping Byrd can provide stability in left field. He has played primarily center and right during his career.
“Hopefully, it’s going to be like riding a bike,” Byrd said. “I’m going to have to put a little extra work on it this offseason.”
Last season with the Phillies, Byrd batted .274 with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs in 154 games but struck out 185 times.
“I know people are going to say he struck out a lot — he struck out last year more than he has,” Jocketty said. “He had 28 doubles, 25 homers and 85 RBIs, and that’s something we definitely need on our club. Hopefully, we can get him to cut down on the strikeouts.”
Lively, 22, posted a 13-7 record with a 3.04 ERA in 26 starts last season for Class A Bakersfield and double-A Pensacola. He was the minor league pitcher of the year in the Reds’ organization.
