It’s been a quiet offseason in Philadelphia, which might be a good thing when you consider some of the ill-advised moves that Ruben Amaro has made in the past.
However, the Phillies do need to continue their rebuilding process after trading Jimmy Rollins earlier this month, and outfielder Marlon Byrd would be the easiest player for them to move. The Phillies and Reds were reportedly close on a deal to send Byrd to Cincinnati before the deal collapsed.
Source: Phillies were close to a deal sending Marlon Byrd to Reds before it fell apart. Still possible trade could be reworked. @FOXSports
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 29, 2014
Byrd would be a good fit with the Reds, even though he’s 37 and still owed $8 million. Byrd’s contract also contains an $8 million club option for 2016 that could automatically vest based on accrued plate appearances, so the most a team would pay Byrd is $16 million over two years – that’s a lot better than paying Michael Cuddyer $20 million over the same two years (hi, Mets).
In 2014 with the Phillies, Byrd was productive, hitting .264/.312/.445 with 25 homers. Only three Reds cracked double digits in homers, and one was Jay Bruce, who put together the worst season of his career. When you also consider that the Reds paid Ryan Ludwick $7.5 million in 2014 for a below replacement year and that the team doesn’t have much of an in-house replacement, Byrd would be a solid upgrade for them at a reasonable cost.
Then again, the Reds might not be all that great in 2015, and giving up any young talent to upgrade their roster might not be prudent, despite the Great American Ballpark hosting July’s All-Star Game. They’ve already traded pitchers Alfredo Simon and Mat Latos, and Mike Leake and Johnny Cueto will be free agents after the season and could also be moved before the trade deadline.
So…is adding Byrd really worth it, given the fact that he’s a popular commodity and the Phillies will likely demand a strong return? We’ll see what Cincinnati decides to do, but Byrd finding a new home before the season begins seems like a guarantee.
