The San Diego Padres have signed outfielder Jayson Heyward, per MLB insider Dennis Lin. Heyward spent the majority of the 2024 season with the Padres’ NL West rivals, the Los Angeles Dodgers.
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
The expectation is Heyward and newly-signed Connor Joe will split time in left field. The Padres have been quiet a majority of the offseason, but ink two deals in a single day.
The Padres grab a couple of veterans to share left field in 2025 with the signing of Jason Heyward and Connor Joe. @dennistlin on it.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) February 8, 2025
Heyward was designated for assignment in late August by the Dodgers, and then joined the Houston Astros for the remainder of the 2024 season. Heyward batted .208 with six homers and 28 runs batted in across 63 games with the Dodgers.
Heyward spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, helping them win the 2016 World Series, until he was released after the 2022 season.
The veteran was was a respected figured in the L.A. clubhouse throughout the 1.5 years he spent with the Dodgers. When Heyward signed with Houston, L.A. fans weren’t very fond of the decision.
Heyward spoke on his decision to sign with the Astros, citing another chance to play meaningful baseball.
“I received a good amount of interest. The toughest part in my mind was just — not a lot of time to make a decision,” Heyward said in August. “Honestly, I thought there was a good chance I was going home, my family and I would go back to Chicago and see what the offseason brings. But teams did call. Houston called. And I feel like it was honestly the most realistic path for a chance to play every day.
“But just a real chance to play here, be in the outfield, kind of move around in all three outfield spots. That was the conversation. And to me, I just want to make the most of that opportunity. And that’s kind of what allowed me to say, well, let’s keep playing and let’s go out here and try to win.”
In an ironic twist of fate, Heyward joins yet another rival of the Dodgers in the Padres. San Diego adds a veteran presence to their clubhouse while Heyward gets another opportunity to play meaningful baseball, it’s the best of both worlds.
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