Jason Heyward, who spent 16 seasons in Major League Baseball, announced his retirement on Friday.
Heyward spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, five with the Atlanta Braves, two with the Los Angeles Dodgers, one with the St. Louis Cardinals, and part of a season with the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros.
Heyward joined the Dodgers prior to the 2023 season after struggling near the end of his tenure with the Cubs. The veteran rebounded to become an everyday player for the Dodgers, but took a step back in 2024 and was eventually released.
Despite his short time in Los Angeles, Heyward made an impact on the club that Dodgers manager Dave Roberts felt would be everlasting.
Roberts now hopes that Heyward will stay in the game after announcing his retirement.
“Great teammate, very, very good team leader,” Roberts said of Heyward. “He was old school in the sense of always doing nice things for young players, buying dinners, buying stuff for them, showing them how to be a big leaguer.
“Worked his tail off every day. He was bought into whatever we asked of him. He’s had a great career, and I’m happy that we got to be teammates for a minute. That was great.
“I hope he stays in the game in some capacity, whether it be the front office side or the coaching side. I talked to him in spring, and he was kicking that around. The game needs guys like Jason.”
Heyward batted .249/.322/.446 with 33 doubles, 21 home runs and 68 RBI in 187 games over his time with the Dodgers, and he received a World Series ring after the 2024 season.
Heyward retires with plenty of accolades in his career, including five Gold Glove Awards and played a key role in the Cubs winning the 2016 World Series.
He was also voted the recipient of the 18th annual Roy Campanella Award, which is given each year to one player on the Dodgers who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.
Heyward was named an All-Star during his rookie season with the Braves in 2010, and he finished his career hitting .255/.336/.408 with 186 home runs, 730 RBI, 879 runs scored, 125 stolen bases and 41.5 WAR.
Clayton Kershaw joins Dodgers front office
The Dodgers hired Clayton Kershaw in a front office role as a special assistant, he shared on Friday ahead of the ring ceremony at Dodger Stadium.
The specific details and responsibilities have not yet been set, but the Dodgers have been pushing for Kershaw to stay in the organization following his retirement.
“I think I’ll be involved somehow,” Kershaw said. “I still want to be part of the Dodgers.”
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