Phillies Agree to 2 Year Deal with Marlon Byrd

Per Ken Rosenthal, the Phillies and free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd have agreed to a 2 year deal.  The contract is reportedly worth $16 million.

Oct 7, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates right fielder Marlon Byrd (2) at the batting cage before playing the St. Louis Cardinals in game four of the National League divisional series at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

are close to finalizing a two year deal.

Byrd, 36, played for the Mets last year before being dealt to Pittsburgh along with John Buck in August.  In return, the Mets received reliever Vic Black and second base prospect Dilson Herrera.

The Mets had expressed interest in a reunion with Byrd, but he wasn’t at the top of their list.

Thoughts:

Fresh off a PED suspension, Byrd would’ve retired last year if the Mets hadn’t given him a chance.  After getting that chance, he had a career year – and good for him.

The odds of Byrd improving on last year or coming close to a repeat performance are slim.

He may have been a solid get as a second outfield piece for the Mets this offseason, but I’m sure the Mets (and many other teams) were worried about the strong likelihood that he’ll regress in 2014.

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