The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed outfielder Jason Heyward, 34, to a one-year, $9 million contract. It’s a good fit for the Dodgers.
Heyward signed a minor league deal with the Dodgers earlier this season. After surviving his minor league deal, Heyward played in 124 games this year and exceeded expectations, hitting .269 with 15 homers and 40 RBIs, a .340 on-base percentage, a .473 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 0.813.
He reunited with old friend Freddie Freeman and got along well with his Dodgers teammates, extending his active career.
Heyward signed an eight-year, $184 million contract with the Cubs in December 2015. He was fine until the 2020 season, when the coronavirus pandemic hit. However, his performance dropped dramatically after that. After hitting .214 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs in 2021 and a .204 batting average in 2022, the team released him with time remaining on his contract.
In December 2022, the Dodgers picked up Heyward on a minor league deal. For the Dodgers, it was a race to the bottom. The Cubs would pay the remaining $21.28 million in salary for the 2023 season, and the Dodgers would only have to pay the minimum $720,000.
Heyward is a platoon player whose power has been on the decline and who has been used against lefties. Still, his 15 home runs were his first since hitting 21 in 2019. The Dodgers are a pitcher-friendly ballpark. His shoulder remains strong in right field.
He and Freeman have been teammates for eight years, starting in the Atlanta Braves’ minor leagues. In 2007, Heyward was drafted in the first round and Freeman in the second. Reunited with their friends, they improved their game. Of course, their positions are very different now. Freeman hit 90 long balls in 2023. He finished one short in the doubles category with 59. He finished third in National League MVP voting. 아톰카지노 주소
The Dodgers and Cubs had an odd relationship in 2023. Heyward, who was released by the Cubs, thrived with the Dodgers, while Cody Bellinger, who was non-tendered by the Dodgers, rebounded with the Cubs and is waiting for his free agent breakout.