Dodgers Designate Jason Heyward for Assignment, Activate Chris Taylor from IL
The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment and activated Chris Taylor from the injured list.
Robert Murray of FanSided was first to report the news Thursday.
This comes on the verge of Chris Taylor returning from the injured list, where he had been parked since July 25 with a left groin strain. Taylor had been competing in minor league rehabilitation games since last week, first with Triple-A Oklahoma City and more recently with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga.
The Dodgers had a difficult roster decision coming with Taylor’s return and the emergence of Kevin Kiermaier in the outfield. The final roster spot likely was going to come down to Heyward, Kiermaier, or Kiké Hernández. Clearly, the Dodgers valued Kiermaier’s defense and Hernández’s versatility over Heyward’s bat and defense.
This move does come as a bit of a surprise, as Heyward has not only been great as a pinch-hitter, but he’s also the best friend of All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman. However, the Dodgers are making the decisions they feel best for the roster, and in this case, it was Heyward being designated for assignment.
Tuesday, Heyward hit a three-run home run to lift the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Mariners. Now, that looms as the potential final at-bat of his Dodgers career.
Heyward appeared in 187 games with the Dodgers over the last two seasons, slashing .249/.322/.446 with 21 home runs and 68 runs batted in. This year, across 63 games, he slashed .208/.289/.393 with six home runs and 28 runs batted in.
Taylor is signed through 2025 under the terms of a four-year, $60 million contract extension he signed prior to the 2022 season. He’ll make $13 million next year, after which the Dodgers hold a $12 million option for 2026 or can buy out his contract for $4 million.
Photo Credit: Paul Halfacre-USA TODAY Sports
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What a joke. AF is not willing to let go of his $60M baby and admit his blunder.
Don’t they get another 2 players Sept. 1st? Why not wait until then to bring back CT3? That way they could also keep Heyward. I hope it’s not cause they want to bring back up Pages then. I know Heyward hasn’t had the best year, but his batting avg is higher than CT3 and geez he can field better than Pages, so I don’t get this move. Everything I have read says how much of a leader and great clubhouse teammate he is. Plus he saved us on Tuesday night with that 3 run HR. Maybe they need those other 2 roster spots for pitching, but it’s just sad, IMO.
Usually the baseball gods punish the Dodgers for all their roster manipulation. Look for a injury sprouting up to one of the main starters and they’ll put C =Called T=Third 3 =3 outs Taylor to be wasting a line up spot.
I don’t understand this move. CT has been horrible for the past 2 seasons and he still gets opportunities to be an easy K. It’s time to let this guy go. Heyward is a much better player.
Just wrong!
The guy hits a game-winning pinch 3 run homer, then gets DFA’d two days later. Not sure how Friedman sleeps at night.
My only issue is this. In the late innings of a tight postseason game, which left hand pinch hitter do you want coming up? Kevin Kiermeier or Jason Hayward? I’m just saying
It is unfortunate. Hayward played above expectation for the team but moving Mookie back to the outfield sealed his fate. CT3 has been terrible but he generally wakes up in the playoffs and can play infield which is now more of a need.
Yes, a very tough decision no matter who was DFA. I have no doubt Heyward will be brought back when the rosters soon expand. It may be better for Hayward to get in several plate appearances in a DFA role rather than getting one or two every few days with the team.
I don’t get it as well. I had PAGES & TAYLOR as the
xtra roster replacements Sept.1st figuring the same
(13) hurlers currently on the roster! No further move
’til end of Sept. when there’s a possible GRATEROL return-
tho he wouldn’t be eligible for any playoffs! I think alot of us
would make ‘great’ general managers!
This was so easy to see coming you could see it on a billboard. Don’t get me wrong, although I’ve never met him, Hayward seems like a good guy and made a contribution last season. This season not so much, .208 batting average? Not horrible power and RBI numbers, but not that good. I’m sorry to see it happen, but not surprised a bit. Baseball can be a cruel game, but from what I read he still will make 9M this year, so at least he should be secure financially.
@Mike W – yes baseball can be cruel. But it’s more than his financial security. Many others have pointed out for over a year that AF continues to make bad decisions in order to justify his awful contract for CT3. This seems to be another example of that. Taylor’s BA is .167 with 3 HRs and 15 RBIs in 162 ABs. And 62 strikeouts, meaning he strikes out almost 40% of the time. Heyward has 11 more ABs (173) this season, a higher average, double the HRs and nearly double the RBIs, and only 36 strikeouts, so about 21% – or half the percent as CT3. Facts matter, not some feel good story from previous seasons that AF will not let go of.
Yeah, I wouldn’t be surprised to see CT3 go too. Kike has done more of late especially, I’ve always felt he was a better player than CT3, but numbers and GMs haven’t thought so. Both of them could be gone before the end of the year along with Heyward.
Hated to see Jason go. But with CT3 ready to go; like a few others have said, Friedman really had no choice. Heyward basically plays one position. Right field, though he has had a game here and there in center. Mookie is there. Center has Kevin K. and Edman. Heyward is a man without a job other than PH. CT3 has had a BIG bat in playoff games. He also has come around lately with the bat; and plays all over. That contract is an elephant in the room, too. My guess in September? One of the call-ups will be a pitcher. The other may be Dalton Rushing. Pages is not who I would want to make a bet on come October. He makes too many base-running and fielding mistakes. His batting average had been on a steady decline the last month prior to his demotion, too. Outman is great on defense and baserunning. But will his bat play? Give Rushing a shot.