Former World Series Champion, Cut By Dodgers in 2024, Returns to NL West

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J.P. Hoornstra writes and edits Major League Baseball content. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers in California, J.P. covered MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels (occasionally of Anaheim) from 2012-23 for the Southern California News Group. His first book, The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All-Time, published in 2015. In 2016, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage. He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors. 

Contributing Sports Writer

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.

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, St. Louis Cardinals over 15 major league seasons.

Jason Heyward #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates his two run home run with Enrique Hernández #8 and Andy Pages #44, to take a 7-3 lead over the Cincinnati Reds, during the eighth inning... Harry How/Getty Images

Heyward had a bounceback campaign with the Dodgers in 2023 after two down years with the Chicago Cubs. He had an .813 OPS (119 OPS+) in a platoon role, playing 124 games and seeing time at all three outfield positions.

In 2024, Heyward's batting average and on-base percentage dropped, but he offered the Dodgers 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.

In 24 games with the Astros, Heyward batted .218 with four home runs. 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 season.

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.

More to come on this story from Newsweek Sports.