Mets trade Marlon Byrd and John Buck to Pirates

Mets outfielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck were traded to the Pirates on Tuesday. (Denis Poroy/Getty Images) The New York Mets traded outfielder Marlon

Mets outfielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck were traded to the Pirates on Tuesday. (Denis Poroy/Getty Images)

The New York Mets traded outfielder Marlon Byrd and catcher John Buck to the Pittsburgh Pirates for infield prospect Dilson Herrera and a player to be named, according to a tweet Tuesday afternoon from ESPN's Adam Rubin. The Pirates getting Herrera and a player to be named was first reported via a tweet from Jon Heyman of CBS Sports.

The news reportedly comes hours before the Mets host a Marlon Byrd t-shirt giveaway night at Citi Field for their home game Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies.  The trade also comes a day after New York announced that star pitcher Matt Harvey has a partially torn ligament in his elbow and will miss the rest of the season as the team considers Tommy John surgery for him.

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Byrd is batting .285 this season with a career-high 21 home runs and 71 RBI and looks poised to give the Pirates that extra boost they need to try to reach the postseason for the first time since 1992. Pittsburgh is currently second in the NL Central with a 76-54 record heading into Tuesday night's home game vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. Byrd, who turns 36 on Friday, will be a welcome addition to the Pirates, who are without leftfielder Starling Marte as he remains on the disabled list with hand injuries.

Buck has 15 home runs and 60 RBI on the season and will likely back up catcher Russell Martin.

The Mets retained Byrd before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline and is owed approximately $130,000 for the rest of this season.

https://twitter.com/AdamRubinESPN/status/372418075205070848

https://twitter.com/JonHeymanCBS/status/372421311605137408

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