Philadelphia, PA (SportsNetwork.com) – The Cincinnati Reds acquired veteran
outfielder Marlon Byrd from the Philadelphia Phillies Wednesday in exchange
for pitching prospect Ben Lively.
The Phillies will also send the Reds an undisclosed amount of cash to cover a
portion of Byrd’s remaining salary. The 37-year-old is set to make $8 million
next season and has an $8 million option for 2016 that can vest based on plate
appearances.
Byrd hit .264 with 25 homers and 85 RBI in 154 games with the Phillies last
season. The 2010 All-Star is expected to be Cincinnati’s regular left fielder
in 2015.
Over 13 major league seasons, Byrd owns a career .278 average with 131 homers
and 618 RBI in 1,404 career games with the Nationals, Rangers, Cubs, Red
Sox, Mets, Pirates and Phillies.
The 22-year-old Lively split last season between Class A-Advanced Bakersfield
and Double-A Pensacola, putting together a combined 13-7 record and 3.04 ERA
with 171 strikeouts in 151 innings over 26 starts. He was a fourth round pick
of the Reds in 2013 out of the University of Central Florida.
