The Dodgers announced that they have designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment. Chris Taylor, an infielder/outfielder who was activated from the injured list, will take his spot on the roster. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the Heyward DFA on X before it was officially announced.
Heyward, 35, engineered a strong comeback season for the Dodgers last year. After struggling with the Cubs for several years, he appeared in 124 games with the Dodgers in 2023 and batted.269/.340/.473 for a wRC+ of 120. He also continued to receive high marks for his outfield glovework, which was primarily in right field but also included some time in center.
He and the team agreed on a one-year, $9 million contract, despite his performance has dipped this season. He’s been on the disabled list twice before, once for lower back tightness and once for a bone bruise in his left knee. Around those numbers, he has.208/.289/.393 for a wRC+ of 91.
That is hardly awful production, but the Dodgers’ roster is so strong that even good players are being squeezed out. The club acquired Amed Rosario at the deadline, but he was bumped off the roster a few weeks later when Mookie Betts returned from his spell on the IL.
Speaking of Betts, his return to right field most certainly contributed to Heyward’s departure. Betts began the season in the middle infield, but when he returned, he was moved back to his usual right field spot. Kevin Kiermaier was acquired by the Dodgers as a glove-first center fielder to complement Betts’ and Teoscar Hernández’s powerful bats.
The team appears to prioritize flexibility in its bench places. Guys like Taylor and Enrique Hernández aren’t having great seasons at the plate, but they can play all over the field. Tommy Edman, who was just acquired from the Cardinals, has missed the majority of the season while recovering from wrist surgery, but he can play numerous positions. Heyward, as previously said, can play some center, but he is mostly a corner player with some disappointing performances this season, so he is the outlier.
With the trade deadline passed, the Dodgers will need to place him on waivers in the coming days. Given his subpar season and high contract, he could go unclaimed. If that happens, he’ll have more than enough service time to turn down an outright assignment while keeping his entire salary. Perhaps he will become a free agent in the coming days.
If that happens, the Dodgers will be responsible for the remainder of his salary. Heyward would then be free to join with any other club, with that team merely obligated to pay him the prorated version of the $740K league minimum for whatever time he spent on the roster, which would be deducted from what the Dodgers pay.
If he contracts elsewhere before September 1, he will be postseason eligible with his new team. Given the inexpensive cost of the investment and his competent performance, he is sure to attract attention. His offensive has been slightly below par this year, but it was quite excellent last year, and his glovework remains solid. Given his notable platoon splits, he would most likely appeal to a team that struggles against right-handed pitching. He’s hit.265/.350/.432 versus righties in his career, with a 114 wRC+, compared to.231/.301/.344 and 78 wRC+ without the platoon advantage.
