Veteran Jason Heyward DFA’d by Dodgers amid roster crunch

The Los Angeles Dodgers, facing a roster crunch, designated veteran outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment on Thursday.

Heyward, a well-respected clubhouse presence who has struggled with infrequent playing time, became the odd man out with Chris Taylor activated off the injured list. With the move, the Dodgers essentially chose to keep center fielder Kevin Kiermaier as their only left-handed hitter off the bench. Taylor and fellow superutility man Enrique Hernandez were also perceivably on the bubble.

Rival teams now have seven days to claim Heyward off waivers, otherwise he will be released and become a free agent. Heyward, who would be owed the prorated portion of his $9 million salary, can be postseason eligible so long as he joins another team before the end of August.

Heyward slashed only .208/.289/.393 in 197 plate appearances during his second season with the Dodgers. But his last at-bat was a memorable one — a pinch-hit, eighth-inning three-run homer that won Tuesday’s game against the Seattle Mariners. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts later called it “the highlight, for me, of the season thus far.”

Now 35, Heyward was a highly regarded prospect who was drafted 14th overall out of high school and became a sensation with the Atlanta Braves in his early 20s. Heyward won five Gold Gloves, made an All-Star team, accumulated 115 home runs, stole 101 bases and signed a $184 million contract while with the Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs from 2010 to 2017.

His most famous moment came near the end of that stretch, when his speech during a rain delay in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series helped propel the Cubs to victory, ending a 108-year championship drought.

But injuries and inconsistencies continued to plague Heyward over the next half decade, prompting the Cubs to release him late in the 2022 season with another full year remaining on his contract. The Dodgers subsequently signed Heyward to a minor league deal at the behest of good friend Freddie Freeman and watched him provide an .813 OPS with 15 home runs in 124 games in 2023. They then brought him back on a major league deal, but his production wasn’t the same.

Now, he’ll likely join another playoff contender.