The Dodgers announced that they have designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment. His roster spot will go to infielder/outfielder Chris Taylor, who has been activated from the injured list. Robert Murray of FanSided reported the Heyward DFA on X prior to the official announcement.
Heyward, 35, engineered a solid bounceback season with the Dodgers last year. After struggling with the Cubs for many years, he got into 124 contests with the Dodgers in 2023 and hit .269/.340/.473 for a wRC+ of 120. He also continued to get solid grades for his outfield glovework, mostly in right field but with some time in center as well.
He and the club reunited on a one-year, $9MM pact, though his results have tailed off a bit this season. He has had a couple of stints on the injured list, one due to lower back tightness and one due to a left knee bone bruise. Around those, he has hit .208/.289/.393 for a wRC+ of 91.
That is hardly disastrous production but the Dodger roster is strong enough that even decent players are getting squeezed off. The club acquired Amed Rosario at the deadline but he was nudged off the roster a couple of weeks later when Mookie Betts returned from his stint on the IL.
Speaking of Betts, his return to right field likely played a role in Heyward getting pushed out. Betts had started the year in the middle infield but it was decided to move him back to his customary right field position when he recently returned. The Dodgers acquired Kevin Kiermaier as a glove-first center fielder between the big bats of Betts and Teoscar Hernández in the corners.
The club has seemingly given a priority to flexibility in its bench spots. Guys like Taylor and Enrique Hernández aren’t having amazing seasons at the plate but are capable of playing all over the diamond. Tommy Edman, recently acquired from the Cardinals, has missed most of the season recovering from wrist surgery but can also bounce around to multiple different positions. Heyward can play a bit of center, as mentioned, but is mostly a corner guy with some lackluster results this year, so he is the odd one out.
With the trade deadline now passed, the Dodgers will have to put him on waivers in the coming days. Given his mediocre season and notable salary, it’s possible that he goes unclaimed. If that comes to pass, he has more than enough service time to reject an outright assignment while keeping all of that salary on the table. Perhaps that will see him on the free agent market in the coming days.
If that comes to pass, the Dodgers would remain on the hook for what’s left of his salary. Heyward would then be free to sign with any other club, with that team only responsible for paying him the prorated version of the $740K league minimum for any time Heyward spends on the roster, which would be subtracted from what the Dodgers pay.
Assuming he signs elsewhere before September 1, he would be postseason eligible with his new club. He is likely to garner interest given the low-cost investment that would be required and his competent play. His offense has a bit a bit below par this year but was quite strong as recently as last year and his glovework is still solid. He would likely appeal to a club that’s weak against right-handed pitching, given his notable platoon splits. He’s hit .265/.350/.432 against righties for a 114 wRC+ in his career, whereas he has a line of .231/.301/.344 and 78 wRC+ without the platoon advantage.
Didn’t he just hit the most powerful homerun?
Yeah, but he’s hitting .208 with 6 homeruns, an OBP of .289 and OPS of .682.
Adam Duvall would kill for those numbers. And he’s been bad vs. LHP.
What’s CT3 hitting? Just saying. At least J-Hey was a viable option as a pinch hitter.
Chris Taylor can play three infield and three outfield positions. JayHey can’t. Taylor’s major utility status makes him more valuable.
Taylor’s last 26 games: .250/.372/.458.
Chris can play none of them well.
It’s a shame what happen to CT3 bat!!?? Its like he forgot how to hit! To me his defense has always been pretty tight. Hope he can get his act together cause I like him overall!
Still better than CT3! Heyward still a great outfielder and pretty good Pinch hitter this year!
The elephant in the room in this transaction is Taylor’s contract. Nobody is taking that on given his anemic plate production. LAD still has to eat salary with Heyward’s release, but it’s nothing compared to eating the rest of Taylor’s contract.
Yeah, but the powerful home run!
Yeah but this was already being planned for before that hit.
He needed a position player to go on the IL to save his spot
It was so powerful it got the Mariners manager and himself both fired!
No one will claim his salary, and they might keep him in the org as like a taxi squad for possible playoff roster.
It’s more about his roster spot.
DFA’d players have to either be traded, released, or put on waivers. If they clear waivers, they can be released or outrighted. JAyHey has more than three years of service, though, and can elect not to go to the minors and instead test FA.
And he will clear beacuse of his salary.
How much of that 9M is still owed? 1.88m? I’d be surprised if a contender doesn’t snag his lefty power off the bench.
He may get claimed. Some contending teams have a worse fourth outfielder.
A quite possible scenario is he goes unclaimed, accepts the assignment, and is called back up on Sept. 1.
I can see him accepting the assignment if they have told him they will bring him back on September 1. OKC is at Round Rock next week, so spend the weekend with his family, fly to RR on Monday night, DH Tue-Fri, fly back to the big league club on Saturday and get activated on 9/1.
My guess is he goes to free agency, but it wouldn’t shock me if he accepts an assignment thinking “I’ll get called up in September, then play my way back onto the postseason roster..”
I think he may just retire, especially after the season ends if he’s not picked up by a playoff contending team.
end of an era
Not j-hey! Baseballs a business
Chris Taylor back
Probably activating Chris Taylor for Friday.
He wasn’t that bad for an extra outfielder. But not that good either, and the Dodgers might be the best team in baseball. No team will claim him and pay the $2mm or so left on his salary, but for the prorated MLB minimum, I am sure some team will sign him to finish off the last month of the season.
He debuted at age 20 and was an ALL Star and ROY runner up. I bet most people then would have been surprised that he never reached 2000 hits or even 200 homers.
I don’t think J-Hey is done. I could see the Dodgers signing him again for next season. His defense is still elite.
He reached 200 million dollars though lol
Generational wealth from being an okay baseball player. Noice!
Hey please don’t mute me. I enjoy seeing you mute all these guys. Also helpful that you tell them so before doing it.
Yup- difficult to produce 200 & 2000 when you only average 117 games a season.
First Round Pick- other than his glove & alleged leadership in the clubhouse J-Hey’s career was fortunate as he played for two decent consistently in the hunt teams & produced average seasonal numbers for starter maybe six out 15 seasons?
What in the A _ is “picking a side” all about?
Kind of a dick move to mute some guy over what appears to be a legitimate & insightful post
He’s one of these random autistic people on this site that comes up with some weird gimmick/troll. Ignore him.
Well, I haven’t read any examples of what your describing from this specific poster.- I feel the post that allegedly set the “Mod” off was an interesting & insightful observation..
Unless someone is overtly abusive & confrontational, muting is a coward & abusive move.
I have observed many senseless posts & rants which ACTUALLY demonstrated overt willful ignorance & “troll” like behaviors which received zero attention..
Just my un-humbled observation.
LOL…you wouldn’t know a solid argument if it hit you in the face and I find you to be one of the most condescending people on these forums so by all means…Mute me because I probably speak for a lot of people when I say…I / we have had more than enough of you…
MUTED
Perfect player to add to the white Sox
I think we should take a flyer on him the rest of the way with the Sox. Defensive upgrade in outfield. His offense is basically neutral for what we got even hitting .208.
@upstart
$2MM remaining on his contract is too rich for JR’s wallet.
Just to give Southside fans something to watch? Nope. JR’s too cheap for that.
Heywards is the second Dodger with a game winning hit to get DFA.
Only so much room. I liked J-Hey, but biz is biz. That said, here comes the awful CT3
I prefer heyward over CT no need to bring up CT until Sept 1st
It’s Taylor’s ability to play multiple positions all over the field that necessitates this move. Sad though
What’s the point of moving players around if they can’t hit enough to justify them being in the lineup?
To give other players the day off.
and cover injuries
Lol- Truth
Dodgers already have Edman and Kike who do the same as CT3. There’s zero need for CT3z
The people who do the actual thing seem to not agree with you.
yes, they are masters at being in the hunt unable to finish- One half season Trophy since 1988.
How on earth does Taylor still have a roster spot?? Dude is beyond washed
Because the Blue are on the hook for $30 million with Taylor
Taylor’s last 26 games: .250/.372/.458.
Lol how many at bats in those 26 games? You realize he has a .542 OPS? And an abysmally atrocious statcast page? And one of the worst looking swings in major league history? He’s not just washed, he’s washed washed. Simply cannot hit
His first month was absolutely abysmal. Dug him a deep hole for his season stats. The same was said last year about Barnes. Hardly anyone noticed that in the second half he actually hit better for average than Smith. I believe the FO was paying attention even if most fans missed it. Probably something similar is true for Taylor.
Or maybe he’s just washed lol
Or maybe you’re not into sorting stats on B-REF to and prefer commenting with an opaque perspective?
Sorting what stats exactly? Please tell me what random metrics you decided to use to make Taylor look not atrocious? I’ll wait lol
The monthly splits.
What just happened between me and “MickeyTheMod”?
Something something muted.
He’s a re-re troll. That’s all he ever says to anyone and never talks ball. Be proud and wear it like a badge! F him
I don’t know, I muted that guy.
What a bunch of mutants.
MTM is a gutless turd and a troll. He’ll disappear for a while, come back under a new account, and do the same crap. He used to be known as “filihok” and I’m sure he has other burner accounts. He has no opinion of his own, he’s just an idiot.
Yes Lloyd!
Filihok = ElBeisbol = MickeyTheMouseTurdMod
Micky and the copypasta guy are the same person I think cause I saw in another page mick being snarky about a player like the other guy always is, and that elbeisbol guy worshipped at the school of fangraphs like that Dodgers Bro guy does, and both are Dodgers fans coincidentally
There’s no such thing as coincidence, Sweet Baby Ray! Cheers bud
Mickey ain’t quite right.
Nice, waking up to a Rocky reference. Today will be a good day.
Kiermaier is a better CF and they don’t need 2 LH backup outfielders. It’s too bad because I like the dude but now that the squad is up to full health there’s just no room.
Come back to Atlanta j.hey
This makes too much sense
Braves have enough bad players.
Yeah but Heyward is a lot more serviceable than outright bad.
I’d give him a shot over Duvall.
Keep an eye on the giants on this.I can see it possibly.
Giants are set in the OF
Dodgers just love defensive versatility, even when the the competency in those positions are not even at replacement level.
Chris Taylor, Kike Hernandez, etc can’t even do 1 thing well.
Astros? Upgrade over Cabbage and newly signed Gamels.
Couldn’t they made faked an injury for JHey and waited until Sept 1 to get him back on the roster?
I don’t understand why they didn’t do that…
because they gave Heyward the chance to sign on with another team prior to 9/1 roster lock.
Truly, I hope you’re correct about that mojo. If that comes out from Jason, I’d feel a lot better about this right now.
If they went to him and said we just don’t see you on the playoff roster and Releasing you now would give you an opportunity to catch on with another playoff team— I’m good with that.
that’s the rumor. I too hope it’s true. and even better if the playoff team is LAD. But I don’t see how he squeezes into that offense.
Agree. Fabian Ardaya’s reporting (Athletic) of what went down Confirms much of what you are saying Mojo. It’s worth a read.
nytimes.com/athletic/5717495/2024/08/22/jason-heyw…
I feel they may have done Hayward a solid by cutting him now as he’s likelyto cut a deal with a contender & be in the hunt again.
He’s ready for that couch on MLB Network next to CC Sabathia. .
As a Dodger fan this is a bad move! Appreciate what JH brought to the team! He has battled some injuries, but has a great glove and attitude and has some timely hits! Hopefully he will accept an assignment to Oklahoma for a week and then come back!
Wow and after that home run the other night. I wonder who picks him up.
The Mariners??
no postseason prayer at this point
Pads? Send Johnson to El Paso and clear his 26/40. He’ll clear and Heyward is an upgrade. We’re done with the Dodgers… until…? Be nice for Hey to make ’em pay 😉
True at minimum wage why the heck not
How many former dodgers players you want on your team
They just passed Brett Honeywell through waivers unclaimed, and were able to outright him. Granted his peripherals were nothing close to his traditional stats, but he absolutely looked serviceable. Hopefully the same can happen for J Hey, and like Honeywell, has a chance to come back when rosters expand. The way the guys celebrated that homer the other night, in hindsight, you have to think he knew his fate was sealed.
Heyward’s fate was sealed when the Mookie at SS experiment played itself out. The Dodgers basically handed Heyward RF in hopes he could regain his youth but it didn’t play out. Heyward just isn’t a daily player.
Yeah, he wasn’t last year either. He rarely faced a lefty last season, in fact, barely had 26 plate appearances last year against LHP.
Atlanta or St. Louis will claim him.
might be a tad expensive for Cards who are borderline for playoffs. Atlanta makes sense.
Home run in his last at bat with the Dodgers, home run in his first at bat with the Braves. Let’s say he retires after this.. I wonder how many guys have bookended their careers with homers?
That seems like the right way to do it! Big pimpin
“I hit my dinger and I hung em up” -Crash Davis
He’s made an impressive amount of money, a lot like Baez. Fans are happy.
Hayward haa a more reasonable salary then Baez this year, so Jason has that over Javy…
Heyward is one of the most overrated players in recent memory but I’ll take him over Taylor any day.
Roberts and Friedman treat Taylor like they are running a fantasy team because he can play multiple positions.
they owe Taylor $13 mill next year and the remainder of that same salary this year. I think THAT is the bigger factor. Not saying that justifies his level of talent.
Put him to Waivers, nobody in their right mind claims him, send him to OKC. Doesn’t cut any $ and he could reject, o/c… but I doubt he chooses F/A. Doesn’t make sense- “if I were him.”
except that if Heyward does pass through waivers to free agency, LAD would be on the hook for his salary minus the minimum. At the minimum some team would grab him.
100% agree, but I meant CT buddy, sorry
aah. my bad.
Yeah, but. If Heyward accepts the assignment he continues to collect his contract salary and the Dodgers can recall him on Sept. 1. That’s like a week from now.
and that would be dandy, except for Andy.
Pages? He stays down unless somebody gets hurt. Not postseason roster material presently, IMO.
Are you suggesting a wink-wink-nudge-nudge post-Waiver agreement could conceivably have traction, Blue? Coulllldddd be in play… yet highly doubtful. And there’s a lot of “what ifs”… perhaps too many. Cheers braddha
neither is Jason
who do you figure the extra pitcher is? Knack or Wrobleski? Graterol?
*bows his SD adorned head*
Please be Graterol, please be Graterol…
S/b Knack imo, but I’m going you guys too much free info. Gg haha
right, b/c Friedman calls me every night to find out what you think. boy do I hate off days…
Doesn’t have to be on the sly. All the Dodgers need to say to the player is he’s at the top of the list to be recalled if he clears waivers and accepts an assignment. Still a risk since another team could claim him, but if I’m Heyward I’d take the chance of going to the postseason with the Dodgers as opposed to playing for some other team looking for a cheap pickup. Same dollars to him either way — and he really does like playing for this team.
I knew he must be calling somebody. Now we know.
Gwynning has been secretly running the Dodgers for years.
*Trojan horse activated*
Roberts said Monday that the optioned Andy Pages could return once rosters expanded
.truebluela.com/2024/8/22/24223999/dodgers-jason-he…
we’ll see…
Lots of things “could” happen. So yeah, we’ll see!
Would be interesting if the Padres picked him up once he clears waivers. Only cost them a prorated portion of the MLB minimum or about $125k
I am guessing they would only do something like that if Tatis is not expected back this season, Probably not because Peralta is a LHB too.
Strange how Rosario gets DFA’d, he isn’t the most elite fielder I understand, but nonetheless can field in a somewhat decent, hey he tries, but otherwise average way, but always hits good. Then Kike who can play multiple positions, is playing bad, but maybe in the postseason his average will turn around, can stick around, if that happens. I’m not saying DFA Kike, I’m just saying the standard is somewhat different than opposed to a player who can hit more effectively and consistently, and hoping he comes thru in the postseason, big chance he will. But still confusing, and would like Heyward to remain with the team. But confusing to say the least. Considering how well the Dodgers have done, with very little, signing Biggio, playing 3 weeks, Ahmed great defense, just typical below average hitter. they might feel they do just fine with below average talent (besides stars). They still win just about every game. With that being said, they might not want to improve because they’ll win either way. Lol
Kike has been hitting and fielding pretty well since the All-Star break.
Taylor also has a guaranteed contract through 2025 at $15 million annually. I guess they didn’t want to eat it.
13 million but what’s 2 mill among friends…
In that case, can I give you my PayPal?
check’s in the mail
I could see the confusion and/or semantics- 13 + 13 + 2 over the next year and a half = 15 per when accounting for CBT rules. We’re friends too, Mojo. We go way back, bruv…
13+13+4 I’m drunk
what’s 2 mill between drunks?
maybe Friedman was drunk when he wrote that CT contract.
The answer will cost ya $2MM!
*mug tap*
only 29 hours & 5 mins until game time…
Maybe he’ll retire and go into the Hall together with Votto.
I hope he finds another team to sign with. Despite his struggles on the cubs. I still enjoyed watching him play.
for a different player i get it but CT???the guy has been washed up for 2.5 years. a potential power bat w a knack for the big hit off the bench seems more valuable to me. but i’m not an analytic analist
If J-Hey only played a good center….
Ross Atkins type of player……
Meanwhile CT3 can’t even climb above .100
Meanwhile, his actual season average this year is .167.
I am tired of being confused with facts.
It’s exhausting.
I’m still scratching my head about these transactions. We sent Wrobo, Knack and Honeywell down, but kept Miller? Also, looking at the math, we still have 3 guys coming back (Glasgow, Yamamoto, Graterol) with 2 spots added Sep 1. Question is: send Miller down or DFA Buehler? Easy answer is option Miller, but if he gets hot, then what? Could we be looking at a Buehler DFA?
Knack went down on 8/14 after a solid 4 inn and Buehler came up as a fresh arm. Wrobo threw 5 inning (4 ER) on 8/16 and was sent down on the 17th for a fresh arm: Miller who threw 4.2 inn on 8/17 (also 4 ER). Honeywell isn’t part of this convo. Not a starter. Can’t bring back Wrobo or Knack before 15 days is up unless there is an injury. So Buehler and Miller get another turn each. Yamamoto is weeks away. Glasnow at least another 9-10 days away. Graterol…who knows?Anyhow that’s how I see it.
Nick Ahmed cleared waivers. Declined AAA. Now a free agent.
There is still enough season left for him to sign with the Rockies and the Padres to complete his NL West bingo card.
LAD folks – any chance we see Dalton Rushing up this year?
Very small.
jason gave a great rain delay speech to cubs 2016 ws champs helped break billy goat/108 yr. sorrow[they should get him back!!]
Hey Milwaukee, Heyward would be a nice fit for the rest of the season. Certainly equal to if not better than Frelick! Of course it won’t happen since Murphy thinks Mitchell, Frelick, and Black are the new murderers row.
“It’s not about talent, it’s about people.”- Pat Murphy Perfectly explains the Counsell/Murphy regime mindset and ideology over the past decade. The transactions during that time show it. Make the playoffs, then settle for one and done.
When Heyward hit the home run last night and came back to the dugout, he seemed strangely subdued. Pretty low key guy but something seemed a bit off. I wonder if he was told before the game, he was DFA’d?
This is actually disgusting and I despise the Dodgers with every fiber of my being and still feel that way, because Heyward is a popular player in the clubhouse who just clubbed a game-winning home run and gets thrown out like yesterday’s garbage after his 15 minutes of fame in TYPICAL LOS ANGELES FASHION. All because they want to keep as many players on their overstuffed roster of superstar purchases as they can, and can’t let a longtimer like Chris Taylor go. And when Graterol returns, there goes someone who actually did well for them like Anthony Banda. This team is the greediest bunch of pigs on the planet. IF they don’t win the World Series this year (a big IF considering they spent $1B, then decided that wasn’t enough so they kept buying more players at the deadline), this will be the sweetest thing in the history of professional sports.
Jason is a class act, and I hope he’s picked up by someone soon. But if not, he may just call it in and retire. But whatever happens, he will be missed, especially by many Cubs fans.
Jason, I salute you sir!
He will be a Cincinnati Red for six weeks, for no particular reason because there is no plan by seat of the pants management.