The Major League Baseball free-agent season is officially upon us, with our first significant transaction of the year. According to numerous reports on the internet, (we believe that Fox’s Ken Rosenthal was the first to break the story), the Philadelphia Phillies and free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd have agreed on a two-year $16 million contract. The deal also includes a further $8 million option for 2016 that vests if Byrd gets 600 plate appearances in 2015 or 550 plate appearances in 2015 and a total of 1100 plate appearances in 2014 and 2015. If the option does not vest, it becomes a team option.
The 36-year-old Byrd who split last season between the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates hit .291/.336/.511 with 24 homers and 88 RBIs. The right-handed power hitter was particularly effective against left-handed pitching, hitting .344/.376/.583 with eight homers in 178 plate appearances. His OPS+ was 157. He was no slouch against right handers though, hitting .268/.318/.480 with 16 home runs. His OPS+ against righties was 129.
Byrd also hit .365 in six postseason games for the pirates.
Byrd was slapped with a 50-game suspension for PED use in 2012, when he had a disappointing year hitting just .210/.243/.245 in his 153 plate appearances. Byrd blamed his positive test on taking the wrong supplement in his attempt to recover from off-season surgery and said he had no intention of using it for performance-enhancing purposes. After such a disastrous season he made just $700,00 this season, and so is getting a significant raise.
Byrd was originally drafted by the Phillies in the 1999 MLB draft, and played for the team from 2002-2005.
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