Cincinnati traded right-handers Johnny Cueto (Royals) and Mike Leake (Giants) around the non-waiver deadline in July. On top of that, he had an $8 million vesting option for 2016 if he reached 550 plate appearances this season. LaMarre led the team that year in runs scored (55) and was second in home runs with 12.
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LaMarre, an outfielder and 2007 Jackson Lumen Christi graduate, was called up by the Cincinnati Reds from the Triple-A Louisville Bats on Thursday afternoon, according to team and media reports.
“I’m excited”, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. He mostly played left field with the Reds, where his defense appears to be neutral.
Heading into their four-game series versus the Pittsburgh Pirates, the San Francisco Giants knew they would be needing an offensive presence that could roam the outfield in order to compete moving forward.
Bochy was thrilled to add Byrd to a Giants lineup that definitely needed to be bolstered after the loss of Pence. “He doesn’t profile well from an arm perspective in right field, but it’ll remain to be seen how we ultimately use him”. In exchange, a 24-year-old right-handed minor-league pitcher named Stephen Johnson heads to the Reds. As an injury fill in, the Giants will likely decline that option. Byrd spent all of 2014 with the Phillies before signing with the Reds in the offseason. He missed time with a broken left wrist after being hit by a pitch. When he plays, he will become the eighth Reds player this season to make his major league debut.
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This isn’t going to go down as a huge deal, but the Giants needed a fill in and they picked up one of the best available.
