Reports: Marlon Byrd Traded to Red Sox for Michael Bowden, Cash

by Jen Slothower on Sat, Apr 21, 2012 at 6:47PM

The Red Sox have made a move to shore up their outfield.

Cubs center fielder Marlon Byrd is headed to Boston, according to ESPN Chicago. The Cubs will get Michael Bowden, a right-handed pitcher from the minors, and a player to be named later, ESPN's Gordon Edes reports. Chicago will also take care of most of Byrd's $6.5 million salary.

Reports first surfaced Saturday morning that the Red Sox were interested in Byrd, who is 34 years old. Boston has been looking for help in its outfield ever since Jacoby Ellsbury was sent to the disabled list with a shoulder injury. Jason Repko had been called up to play alongside Cody Ross, Ryan Sweeney and Darnell McDonald, but Repko was injured in Friday's game against the Yankees.

Byrd, just a .070 hitter (3-for-43) in Chicago so far this season, hit .276 with nine homers and 35 RBIs last year. He was an All-Star the year before, hitting .293 with 12 homers and 66 RBIs.

Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine has said he and general manager Ben Cherington have been looking for outfield help "often."

Bowden was the highest pick the Red Sox ever used for a high school pitcher under Theo Epstein, who is now the Cubs' general manager.