During this week's winter meetings, we'll take a look at some of the big rumors coming out of San Diego.
THE RUMOR: The Phillies are shopping veteran outfielder Marlon Byrd.
REPORTED BY: Joel Sherman of the New York Post.
THE DETAILS: Philadelphia signed Jeff Francoeur in November, creating a bit of a logjam in right field. Trading away the 37-year-old Byrd would allow for Francoeur to see more consistent time in the lineup as he tries to revive his career.
LAST SEASON: Byrd, despite his age, had one of the best seasons of his career last season hitting a career-high 25 home runs and driving in 85 runs while batting .264/.312/.445.
SN'S TAKE: Byrd is still a nice piece as he enters his 14th season, but the Phillies are far from a contender and are in need of young players for their rebuilding project. Byrd can still produce runs, but he did post a career-high in strikeouts last season with 185. It’s also worth mentioning he played a a career-high 154 games in 2014, which could either speak to his longevity or be the peak before the plummet. Sending Byrd to a contender for a young cog or two would be beneficial for both Byrd and the Phillies.