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The Phillies will sign free agent outfielder and former Phillie Marlon Byrd, according to WIP. The deal is reportedly for two years and $16 million. The 36 year old Byrd was with the Phillies from 2002 to 2005, before a trade that sent him to the Washington Nationals for Endy Chavez.
Since then, he’s played for the Rangers, Cubs, Red Sox, Mets, and Pirates. He made the All-Star team in 2010 while playing for the Cubs. He made an important play in that game–the first that counted towards home field advantage in the World Series–throwing David Ortiz out at second in the ninth inning.
Byrd tested positive for PEDs in 2012 and was suspended for 50 games.
He is a career .280/.336/.425 hitter.
In 2013, he hit .291/.336/.511 after a dreadful 2012 season. He should be an upgrade over what John Mayberry Jr. gave the Phillies last year, but if this is a move that Ruben Amaro Jr. is putting a lot of stake in (like he did with the Youngs last year), I’m not so sure that it’s the right one. There’s plenty of offseason left, though, and a lot of guys still out there.
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