The San Diego Padres agreed to terms with veteran outfielder Jason Heyward on Friday, bringing him back to the National League West for the first time since he was shockingly released by the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
Dennis Lin of The Athletic was first to report the news Friday night.
The Padres have agreed to a free-agent deal with Jason Heyward, a source tells @TheAthletic. Heyward is expected to share time in left field with Connor Joe, who agreed to a deal earlier today.
— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) February 8, 2025
Heyward, 35, played 87 games last season for the Dodgers and Houston Astros, slashing .211/.288/.412 with 10 home runs and 37 RBIs.
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The veteran won a World Series with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and has also played for the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals over 15 major league seasons.
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Heyward had a bounceback campaign with the Dodgers in 2023 after two down years with the Cubs. He had an .813 OPS (119 OPS+) in a platoon role, playing 124 games and seeing time at all three outfield positions for the division champions.
In 2024, Heyward’s batting average and on-base percentage dropped, but he offered a veteran clubhouse presence and a valuable power bat (10 home runs) in 87 games, mostly in a bench/platoon role.
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Heyward hit a pinch-hit, three-run home run to lift the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Mariners on Aug. 20 last year. That proved to be his final at-bat in a Dodger uniform, as he was designated for assignment and released within days.
Signed by the Houston Astros, Heyward batted .218 with four home runs in 24 games to end the season. He went 0 for 3 in Houston’s three-game Wild Card round loss to the Detroit Tigers and became a free agent after the World Series.
From 2010-14, Heyward made a fast impression with the Atlanta Braves, winning two Gold Glove Awards, making the National League All-Star team as a rookie, and averaging 17 home runs, 13 stolen bases, and a .781 OPS.
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Prior to the 2015 season, Atlanta traded Heyward to St. Louis. He produced a career-best 7 bWAR season, hitting a career-high .293 and stealing a career-high 23 bases. Heyward won his third career Gold Glove Award and collected downballot MVP votes in his only season as a Cardinal.
The Cubs signed Heyward to a massive eight-year, $184 million contract after the season. It immediately paid dividends, as Chicago ended its 108-year championship drought in 2016.
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Although Heyward had his worst season as a hitter statistically, he delivered an speech during a rain delay in Game 7 of the World Series that is credited with inspiring his team to victory over the Cleveland Indians.
In San Diego, Heyward figures to platoon in left field with right-handed hitter Connor Joe, who agreed to terms with the Padres earlier Friday.
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