After being designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Dodgers due to a log jam at outfield with the return of Mookie Betts and acquisitions of Tommy Edman and Kevin Kiermaier, MLBbro Jason Heyward has cleared waivers and is signing with the Houston Astros to give them much needed depth at the position.
The Astros star outfielder Kyle Tucker is currently making his way back from a shin contusion he suffered on June 3 and Mauricio Dubon has been shaky at the plate. This gives the veteran bat and five-time Gold Glove winner Heyward plenty of opportunity to showcase his ability to get the playing time he deserves.
Age Aint Nothing But a Number… J-Hey Still Gets It Done
While with the Dodgers the 35-year-old Heyward slashed .208/ .289/ .393 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 63 games this season. Yes, the average is down, but if you look at Heyward’s career its par for when he has decreased playing time.
In 2022 while with the Chicago Cubs, Heyward batted a career low .204 average in 137 at bats but spent most of the year on IL due to a quadricep strain.
Let’s dive a little deeper. If we look at Dubon’s numbers he’s slashed for .255/ .284/ .359 with four homers and 38 RBIs in 2024. Here’s the kicker… He’s had 329 at bats compared to Heyward’s 173. That’s right, almost double the opportunity. It seems with Tucker out, J-Hey is exactly what the Astros need.
Championship Experience on a Contender Is Like Pringles… You Can Never Have Enough
The Astros are currently 3½ games ahead of the Seattle Mariners for first place in the AL West and looking to win their second World Series since 2022 under Dusty Baker.
Having Heyward in the locker room for the home stretch of the season may do wonders since he has playoff and World Series experience, having played in 46 post-season games and winning a championship with the Cubs in 2016; where his leadership was shown in the biggest game of his career and for the franchise.
Heyward led an inspiring player’s only meeting in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series during a 17-minute rain delay, that many players credit for lighting the fire to get them over the hump to win their first championship in 108 years.
Maybe J-Hey can catch lightning in a bottle again for Houston. He’ll get the opportunity.
LOS ANGELES – Say Hey! Jason Heyward has been the unsung hero for a Dodgers team that has World Series championship aspirations.
This is Heyward’s second year with the team, previously with the Braves, Cardinals, and Cubs. He signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers in December of 2022 with an invitation to spring training and ended up making the Opening Day roster.
2023 was a resurging year for J-Hey. He fixed some mechanics on his swing with the coaches, and ended up batting .269 in 124 games played, which was his highest batting average since the 2018. He had his second highest slugging percentage of his career at .473 as well.
The biggest reason for his resurgence was his new role on the team. Unlike his time in Chicago, St. Louis, and Atlanta where he was relied on much more and considered one of the team’s best players, he’s accepted more of a platoon role, meaning less pressure put onto him.
His new role was so valuable in 2023 to the boys in blue that his coaches and teammates gave Heyward the Roy Campanella Award, given to the most inspirational Dodger on the team. He was able to mentor rookie players like James Outman, and gave star player Mookie Betts the opportunity to stay fresh and get more playing time in the infield at second base.
He resigned with the Dodgers in December of 2023, this time on a one-year, $9 million deal. So far, he has not had the same success mainly due to spending much of the season on the IL with a back injury.
He’s only played in 17 games because of this, having a .234 batting average, with two home runs, six RBI, and has only struck out a total of seven times. Plus, he’s started to heat up over his past seven games played, with a .313/.389/.688 slashline.
The Dodgers infamously flamed out in the 2023 playoffs, and Heyward did not help, going zero for nine. That embarrassment caused the Dodgers to spend a fortune in free agency, including bringing back Heyward, to put the rest of the league on notice that no matter what, they are the favorites to win the 2024 World Series.
If there has been anything that turns a contender into a champion, it is the importance of the role player. The best players on a team are already counted on heavily to show up, but the difference makers that elevate a team over the top are the role players who aren’t as counted on, but show up big time, especially if a star player ends up underperforming.
This was evident for the Dodgers last year. Betts and Freddie Freeman underperformed in the playoffs, but the role players were also a no show. So if the Dodgers want to right last year’s wrong, then guys like Heyward are going to be crucial.
As the old saying goes, “hard work pays off,” and that is the case with outfielder Jason Heyward of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers basically saved Heyward from retiring prior to last season. The 34-year-old outfielder decided to take one more crack at it and put together a highly productive season in his backup role.
Jason Heyward Signs One-Year/$9M Deal With Dodgers
With much less hesitance, Heyward ran it back with the LA Dodgers, signing a deal this offseason worth one year, $9 million.
Heyward recently expressed his gratitude toward the organization for the opportunity: “It’s amazing to have people believe in you, that’s something that’s earned, for sure, especially with the Dodgers. They don’t hand out these jerseys lightly. It’s just a privilege to come back here and wear No. 23 for this group, this fan base, and city.”
“Just want to work hard, have fun and compete.”
In 98 starts, while appearing in 124 games for the Dodgers last season where he faced all right-handed pitchers, the former Atlanta Braves, Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals star batted .269/.340/.473 with 23 doubles, 15 home runs, 40 RBI, 56 runs scored.
There isn’t a safer place in the world to hit than hidden within this current star-studded Dodgers lineup. In fact, Heyward’s time with the Dodgers – from fine-tuning his swing to being able to be just one of the guys – has prolonged his career.
Heyward is someone who overcame adversity as he was cut by the Chicago Cubs in 2022. Having a strong 2023 was imperative for Heyward to continue prolonging his professional career in the majors.
Jason Heyward Is Shohei Ohtani’s “Unofficial Spokesperson”
Now entering his 15th MLB season, Heyward has a very specific role on this LA Dodgers team, beyond his contributions on the field and his personal goal to “work hard, have fun and compete.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has nominated Jason Heyward to assume the role of the team’s “unofficial spokesperson” for the Japanese media. Heyward will handle all things ” Shohei Ohtani” as the superstar’s arrival in Los Angeles will draw hundreds, maybe even thousands, of international media to American ballparks.
In a recent interview with SportsNet LA, Roberts addressed the challenge of handling the media onslaught accompanying Ohtani’s presence on the team. Referencing his own experience playing alongside Barry Bonds, Roberts acknowledged the importance of having a seasoned player who can field media inquiries, allowing others to focus on the game.
He emphasized that the unique situation with Ohtani and the curiosity surrounding other new players such as Yoshinobu Yamamoto, necessitates a respected lifer such as Heyward to handle media interaction.
“I played with Barry Bonds […] and I was that player, a teammate that answered a lot of questions because other teammates didn’t care to.” – Dave Roberts
Barry Bonds sits the bench next to Dave Roberts as the Colorado Rockies as the Rockies defeated the Giants 7-4 at Coors Field September 3, 2007, in Denver
LA Dodgers Are A Rock Star Team With Mucho Talent
Heyward will be rejoining perhaps the most talented and most dynamic team in all of baseball this coming season as they signed two-time AL MVP Shohei Ohtani to a historic 10-year, $700 million contract as well as signing rookie Japanese star pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto to the largest contract by a pitcher in league history (12 years, $325 million.)
Having new additions like those players bolsters a roster that was already supreme beforehand. We haven’t even gotten to three-time Silver Slugger first baseman Freddie Freeman (whom Heyward is good friends with) and outfielder Mookie Betts, a six-time Golden Glove recipient and a former AL MVP himself.
The ‘J-Hey Kid’, as he was called back in his early days as a young Atlanta Braves phenom, can slide in at any outfield position and hold down the forte if any of the starters get injured. Heyward is also someone who can produce RBI in the box and help manufacture runs.
He’s a veteran presence with championship pedigree who will be a solid influence on young and incoming players.
Heyward is also someone who gives back to the community as he has the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy in Chicago, which he recently established.
The club will provide hands-on instruction for young boys and girls ages 6-14 who love baseball as a nonprofit organization that will be hosted in the North Austin Center.
His academy not only offers baseball but also will have a FIFA regulation-sized indoor soccer turf field, classrooms to have proactive learning sessions, indoor courts, a workout facility, and more.
The Dodgers are the betting favorites to win the 2024 World Series at +350 according to Fox Sports and Heyward is elated to be along for the ride.
Long-time right fielder Jason Heyward is back for another one.
The 14-year veteran has reportedly re-signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers on a one-year $9 million deal. Heyward will enter the season at 34 years old and will have the chance to add to his stellar career.
J-Hey Is The Consummate Pro
Prior to his ongoing stint in Los Angeles, Heyward spent seven seasons with the Braves, Cardinals and Cubs. With the Cubs, Heyward secured an eight-year $184 million deal that, despite winning the World Series, he was unable to sustain. In the seven seasons prior to joining the Dodgers, Heyward struggled and was only able to notch a .245 batting average with just 62 home runs.
Early in his career, with the Braves and then the Cardinals, Heyward was a budding star, batting nearly .300 in his single season in St. Louis, and winning Wilson Defensive Player of the Year with Atlanta. He was even anointed as baseball’s next big star by the legendary Hank Aaron.
In his last two seasons with Chicago, Heyward plummeted, batted .214 and .204, respectively — leading the World Series hero to be released a season early with $22 million remaining on the books.
Heyward Makes His Comeback
After contemplating retirement, he signed with the LA Dodgers last season. At that point, he was only able to notch a minor-league deal, having to work his way up if he wanted to get back to the majors. After fixing his swing prior to 2023 Spring Training, Heyward did enough to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster and it paid dividends.
In a revived 2023 season, J-Hey put up a five-year high in batting average with .269 as well as an .813 OPS — his highest full-season mark since 2014. These numbers allowed him to cash the aforementioned $9 million check with Dave Roberts’ perennial World Series contenders.
With a revamped offensive approach and his past Gold Glove blessings, Heyward has the potential to continue to be a valuable veteran utility player for the Dodgers in the 2024 season.
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