Cubs outfielder Marlon Byrd confirmed that he has been traded to the Red Sox, tweets Bruce Levine of ESPNChicago.com. The Cubs will receive Michael Bowden and a player to be named later in exchange for Byrd while paying all but roughly $400K of his $6.5MM salary (the prorated minimum), according to Sean McAdam of CSNNE.com (via Twitter).
The Red Sox designated infielder Nate Spears for assignment to make room for Byrd on the 40-man roster, the club announced. Spears, 26, appeared in four games with Boston this season, including today's loss to the Yankees.
Meanwhile, the player to be named will not be left-hander Andrew Miller, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com.
Byrd, 34, has just three singles and one walk in 47 plate appearances this season, resulting in a .070/.149/.070 batting line. He hit .276/.324/.395 in 482 plate appearances last season while missing time with multiple fractures after taking a pitch to the face, an injury that occurred in Fenway Park. Byrd is in the final season of his three-year, $15MM contract and will earn $6.5MM this year. He is not in Chicago's lineup this afternoon.
Ellsbury's subluxed his right shoulder last week and there is still not timetable for his return. Carl Crawford is also on the shelf with wrist and elbow problems, leaving the Red Sox with an outfield of Jason Repko, Ryan Sweeney, Cody Ross, and Darnell McDonald. Byrd has played center field exclusively during his time with the Cubs, though he has experience in all three outfield spots.
Boston has been actively exploring the outfield market following Jacoby Ellsbury's shoulder injury. The deal will be announced after today's Red Sox game, according to Levine's tweet.
Mike Axisa contributed to this post.
According to Speier it’s Bowden and a PTBNL for Byrd and most of his contract.
That isn’t awful then.. I still say the PTBNL can be McDonald right here and now…
Cubs pay most of the salary and they had already DFA’d Bowden.. No big loss to see if he is worth anything and can’t be any worse than McDonald and Repco.
I’m still thinking it’s Bowden and Miller (Miller being on the DL it would make sense for him to be the PTBNL).
Miller would be awesome if for no other reason one of my all time favorite collegiate players would get another chance at the MLB level. Would hope that the Cubs have the patience to work with him so that he doesn’t regress again if he is that PTBNL however.
I like him too but I am not sure its ever going to happen for him. The Red Sox have been exceedingly patient, and McClure is a legit pitching coach.
Am I the only one who thinks it’s hilarious that there’s already another player to be named later between the Cubs and Red Sox?
lol……can’t stop laughing
Repco. didn;t they go out of business about the same time as Acme?
For who??
Mike Bowden and another guy.
If you learned to read I would not need to tell you this.
It better be for bullpen help!
I don’t think Mike Bowden is “bullpen help!” yet.
At this point, I think just about any reliever helps their bullpen
Looks like the Cubs are trying to help the Yankee’s out after all.
Yeah, like the Yankees need help!
lol
Considering what was given up, good trade.
Decent trade for the Red Sox. I would expect him to end up close to his numbers of last year, making him a serviceable CF for the time being. He would also be one of the better 4th OF options when they get healthy.
When you’re desperate for Marlon Byrd you know how bad your OF situation is.
Better than being desperate for Paul Byrd as OF depth…
where’s ‘Larry Byrd’ when you need him?
yes, those 3 people do have the same last name…
Except we trade pitching for him, which we need more. I had high hopes for Bowden as well.
People make a big deal over every MINOR deal. Like the Sox think Byrd is their 3 batter who will lead them or Bowden enters rotaion and wins CY! lol
Bowden is a mediocre middle reliever on a bad team and Byrd is a serviceable outfielder until everyone else gets healthy.
RELAX
All very well and true. But it seems that given the state of the Red Sox bullpen they need more pitching then hitting. Giving up Bowden isn’t the problem, giving up youngish pitching (25) for a spare part is. Byrd isn’t going to add much to the Red Sox line-up and Bowden might be able to become a useful piece to the pen.
At somepoint Red Sox fans are hoping that the FO notices its the pen and not the offense killing their team. As a Padres fan I am looking forward to see what the Padres might be able to get with some of their relievers.
A new record has been set. Team with most 4th outfielders posing as starters. Ben….you get “The Bird.”
have you not seen the padres?
Byrd is a starting outfielder on most teams.
The ptbnl could be chris carpenter.
Stupid trade. I’d rather have the pitching.
Kevin Youkilis, and Jacoby Ellsburry for Martin Prado, and Craig Kimbrel……….Fair or not? or whou would win in that deal?
the Red Sox should throw in adrian gonzalez and john Lester to make that a fair deal
Yeah because those two are not injury prone and making north of 20 million between the two. And Kimbrel is one of the best closer’s of the game, making league minimun. Youkilis is old anyways.
Do the Red Sox need bullpen help?
A. ellsbury’s injuries have stemmed from freak accidents
B. youk and ellsbury’s salaries vs kimbrel and prado’s salaries are partly why the braves wouldn’t do that trade
For Ellsburry…..They might, Chipper is retiring, and Bourn is a FA after this year…… That would free up enough money
“Do the Red Sox need bullpen help?”
Uhhh…*looks at box score* …yep.
My point is, since ATL has 3 potential closers with Kimbrel(who is the closer), Venters, and Eric O’flaherty, maybe both teams can help each other.
Ellsburry is a tremendous player no doubt, but so is Kimbrel. Prado is awesome as well.
Ellsburry and Youkilis may be more talented, but considering the glaring need of a closer(since Bailey is out again), and the need to get younger and get some salary relief I actually think this is a fair deal for both sides
Ellsbury is never getting traded for a relief pitcher. Never.
comparing ellsbury with Kimbrel, lol you lost all credibility.
I never said Kimbrel was better, Ellsburry is an mvp candidate, Kimbrel is a great closer(probably better than Papelbon IMO).
But the Red Sox desperately need relief help, in terms of money and bullpen. You could even sign Roy Oswalt after the trade and move Bard to the setup role. All of the sudden you have a bullpen of Bard, Bailey, and Kimbrel and a solid rotation.
If they had Bailey, the issue would not be like it is.. He is out until August with his thumb surgery…
But still even if Bailey was healthy, who set’s up? Aceves, Morales, Melancon? I’m sorry but that’s an awful bullpen even with Bailey closing.
It would one of the worst 5 bullpens in MLB and no depth whatsoever.
Roy Oswalt = solid rotation???
I’m gonna guess this is (and will remain) the only time ‘Martin Prado’ and ‘awesome’ are used in reference to one another. Prado is ok, slightly above average at best.
I meant good. And can play 3B, 2B, 1B, and LF and that’s awesome
Sorry but position flexibility and an okay bat doesn’t make one “awesome.” What it does mean is that his bat is not good enough for the Braves to designate a position for him.
OR his versatility and ability to be an above average starter gives a team a ton of flexibility. The kind of flexibility that allows you to trade Omar Infante/Mike Dunn for Dan Uggla and move Prado elsewhere. It also allows you to work around injuries more effectively and gives more double switch options. League average OPS – .720 Prado’s career OPS – .774, even with a down year where he battled through a staph infection and every other year he was a starter he posted an OPS above .800 So yeah, he’s pretty “awesome” (although . By your logic, I guess AROD or Chipper’s bats weren’t good enough to designate themselves at one single position for their entire careers. I know Prado isn’t in their class but I’m saying just because you can move to a different position, especially when you do it for the team, doesn’t necessarily mean your bat isn’t good enough to stick. That is either very close minded thinking or plain narcissistic ignorance. It wasn’t like “oh man, your bat isn’t good enough for the MIDDLE INFIELD go play LF?!?” No, that makes no sense at all. What does make sense is taking advantage of a good player being able to play multiple positions. Chipper and AROD had Castilla and Jeter join them as teammates and promptly changed positions. And it FOR SURE wasn’t because their bats weren’t “good enough for the Braves(or NYY) to designate a position for [them].” You’d be an idiot to not move Prado to LF if Loria comes along trying to move Uggla for peanuts.
yeah..
minimun? isn’t that the mineral that ignites fires?
so then it would be just like the BoSox bullpen
sox for sure youk is gettin old and kimbrel and prado are in there prime
Sure. We’ll give up 5 more years of Kimbrel for a year and a half of (a soon-to-be VERY expensive) Ellsbury… Makes perfect sense. And why WOULDN’T we want 2 injury prone Third Basemen on the roster, too? No need for Youkilis… What would they do? Platoon him with Chipper? Don’t think so. If they don’t feel Terdoslavish is ready to take over Third next season it’ll be Prado or Francisco (Ugh… I hope not. Love the power… but cringe every time a ball gets hit to him) until he is/they find someone more permanent.
Kimbrel, O’Flaherty and Venters are untouchable. No point in even trying unless the first name on the offer is Middlebrooks.
Trade Bourn for some quality young relievers, put Ellsburry on CF, and Youkilis in LF which he can play. Then pick up his option and put him on 3B. It’s not really a move that would be good for the future, but for the next 2 years they’d be a world series team
We don’t need more arms. We need hitters. IMO. I’d prefer them to sign Bourn for another 3-5 years though.
Francisco is doing better I think. Potential is there. Especially for what we gave up for him.
Ellsbury is worth a lot more than a closer. Kimbrel is good but other than Mariano Rivera, not many closers have been consistent over the years. Closers come and go but a centerfielder like Ellsbury is hard to come by, especially if he can come back and play like he did last year…
He’s a beast, but too injury prone, IMO. Not sure he’s worth what he’ll get.
I’m tired of explaining to people why Ellsbury being injury prone is a misconception…Hes had two big injuries, the collision with Beltre and the Brignac slide. Other than that he has had three seasons where he played 145+ games(not counting his rookie season).
If we didn’t have Bourn. I’d maybe be ok w/ it. But not for Kimbrel. you can have Johnny V
Can he pitch?
MB for MB
MB923 likes this.
Nice. Also, nice use of the third-person perspective.
do they have middle names that start with L?
You’re close
Michael Matthew Bowden
Marlon Jerrard Byrd
I prefer Milton Berle doing a comedy routine after yesterday’s game..
If I were you, I would have preferred, if I was a Red Sox fan, that htey would have held on to Bowden. Surely could have used him yesterday.
Michael Matthew Bowden … wasn’t he that cheezy singer with the stringy hair that all the cougars loved?
Are you Milton Bradley? ;o)
I’d prefer Paul Byrd at this point…
The Red Sox bullpen just gave up 14 run in three innings, Half our pitching staff has an era over 5, two guys over 24.00, 45.00 respectively, and we trade a 25 year old nothing great reliever plus a ptbnl for a guy hitting .070? really? Massachusetts legislators need to pass an emergency bill preventing The Cubs from trading with the red sox. Theo is killing us.
I guess the Cubs didn’t want Spears caused they could have just sent him with.
Wanted: Relief Pitchers
No Experience Needed
Apply at:
Fenway Park
4 Yawkey Way Boston, MA 02215
(877) 733-7699
lol nice
lulz. I’m on my way. I think I can hit 82mph at this stage in my life.
Haha
This is really bothering me. What do my fellow Sox fans see in Bowden?? I NEVER got the love. He is the prototypical AAAA player. Nothing more.
Honestly, could he have done any worse than some of the other relief pitchers on the team last night?
Maybe change of scenery does both players well… Marlon was pressing here & looks like this kid Bowden just needed a break & a team that will just give him every chance in re-build mode.
I don’t see the logic so far in this trade. Byrd has a decent upside which will no doubt show by the trade deadline, when a few more teams would have been in on the bidding. Bowden for Byrd and Cubs foot the bill is a terrible deal.
I’m ganna go out on a limb and say PTBNL will be Kolbrin Vitek, Heiker Meneses, or Travis Shaw. These guys are all young, high K/BB ratio, not yet tapped potential and 3b men, that Cubs really are hurting at that position throughout the organization. Possible duds, but also guys that are young enough to have a chance to do something. We’ll soon find out I suppose.
Does this mean Brett Jackson is going to start now?
Not until he can cut down on those strikeouts in AAA…
For all the folks complaining that the sox need pitching and are trading away pitching. Bowden was dfa’d and he is out of options. They were going to lose him on waivers if they didn’t trade him. They are lucky to have gotten anything for him
I respect Red Sox nation.
But, those of you complaining are doing so without provocation.
Cherrington didn’t sell the farm. He gave up a guy he already gave up on for a player that the Cubs no longer had a use for.
Simple as that.
Byrd brings a lot of little attributes, plays the right way and has a good attitude. He’s at his best as a 4th outfielder, but he’ll fill in nicely for an outfield in shambles until they get healthy.
The Cubs could really use a guy in their bullpen with some degree of upside like Bowden.
It’s a trade of logic and convenience.
End of story.
I don’t agree with you that Byrd is at his best as a 4th OF. He’s a starting outfielder on most teams and an ideal 5-6 hitter.
I agree, I dont know what they see in him lol
Bowden’s upside is a 7th inning reliever, he’s really not more valuable than Byrd.
93mph fb, throws pretty much over the top and doesn’t hide the ball very well. If you have been watching many of us Sox fans here, we have been calling for him to remain on the roster over Thomas, but that is about it.
Bowden does not have a ton of upside and was pretty bad as a SP, though did show improvement as a reliever and as Maine posted? possibility he *might* be a serviceable middle reliever, but 1-2IP max at a time.
for the cubs, yes. for a definite contender like the red sox, no.
And “Bowden” only pitched in 2 games last year.
“Bowden” has also only pitched in 39 games since 2008, the start if his career.
Why is Bowden in quotation marks?
And he has only pitched that many innings because he was originally a starter but couldn’t handle starting in the majors, so they converted him to a reliever last year.
I was more upset about Thomas staying than I was about him staying over Bowden. Thomas is a waste of ML roster space.
probably for emphasis
You should work on your writing skills before you start criticizing other people.
Pure horror? Oh, please.
Byrd has been an very good player for the last four or five years. Depending on if you believe FanGraphs WAR or B-R, his contract with the Cubs paid for itself in the first year or the second.
If you’re going to rag on Byrd for his bad start, then I guess the only proper response is: “LULZ he’s better than Carl Crawford who was awful for an entire year.”
as a Cubs fan, Byrd did nothing for his 2 plus years hear. Nothing. His numbers were ridiculously low and it cracks me up how some fans love(d) him more than Soriano. If Byrd was worth his contract, then Soriano was really worth what he’s still getting paid.
Byrd man was among the Cubs’ best players (I know that ain’t sayin’ much!) before he got plunked
i didn’t here a word you said
I never said I liked him. I’m using objective analysis — two different methods of it, in fact. He was a positive contribution offensively and positive contribution defensively his first two years. He has been undeniably horrible this year, but anybody who thinks he will continue to perform at a .073 level is smoking something. Tainted.
His numbers weren’t bad at all. He’s a decent outfielder.
Theo probably would’ve traded Middlebrooks for Byrd and then signed him to a 6-year $100MM contract
And guess what? He’s the one ripping us off with the last two trades with the Cubs. It’s like a slap in Cherington’s face. But if he were our GM still, he wouldn’t make an impact.
if you think about it, it really is for the sox…..they picked him up for basically nothing…..if he produces like the previous years, its a great pick up…..this type of trade makes me wonder whether Epstein is still trying to secretly help the sox