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According to Marc Carig of Newsday, the New York Mets have been in contact with representatives of free agent outfielder Marlon Byrd.
The Mets signed Marlon Byrd before the 2013 season and gave him considerable playing time. He rewarded their faith and hit .285/.330/.518 over the first five months of the season. Byrd’s excellent performance prior allowed the Mets to trade him for infielder Dilson Herrera and relief pitcher Vic Black prior to the August 31 waiver trading deadline. Byrd finished strong, hitting .318/.357/.486 down the stretch and performing well in the postseason for the Pirates.
While Byrd will certainly cost more this offseason than he did last offseason, his age and short track record will likely prevent him from receiving a large deal. MLB Trade Rumors predicted that Byrd will receive a two-year, $16 million deal.
Byrd would fill one of the two empty outfield spots that it is widely assumed the Mets plan on filling. Byrd has stated that he would "love to come back" to the Mets, but at the least, the Pirates are also expected to pursue Byrd this offseason.