When Mookie Betts returned to proper discipline, enjoying time was not one thing that veteran Jason Heyward was going to see a lot of.
On Tuesday evening, Heyward made his case for sticking round when he gave the Dodgers a 6-3 win over the Seattle Mariners with a pinch-hit go-ahead three-run residence run in what turned out to be his ultimate at-bat with the crew.
Two days later, the Dodgers cut him loose and activated Chris Taylor from the injured listing.
When Freeman acquired the information, he flashed again to 2014 when the Atlanta Braves traded Heyward to the St. Louis Cardinals.
His departure leaves an empty locker close to Freeman within the clubhouse but it surely additionally leaves a bigger void amongst associates as Freeman instructed reporters that his buddy isn’t actually speaking to anybody in the intervening time.
“I don’t suppose he’s speaking to anyone,” Freeman said. “I imply, would you guys be wanting to speak in the event you acquired fired out of your job? I’ve had three textual content messages [from him], and that’s three greater than a variety of different individuals [have received].”
Heyward batted .208 with six homers and 28 runs batted in throughout 63 video games with the Dodgers this season. He was enjoying on a $9 million, one-year deal.
Heyward spent seven seasons with the Chicago Cubs, serving to them win the 2016 World Sequence, till he was launched after the 2022 season.
Heyward and Freeman have been drafted collectively by the Atlanta Braves in 2007. The 2 lived collectively for a time within the minors and their households are associates.
“It’s simply when two individuals like Jason and I’ve the identical emotions on life, not simply baseball however the whole lot in life, it’s straightforward to simply change into associates,” Freeman said in an interview final yr. “We’re occurring 17 years as associates and it’s going to final eternally.”
Roberts knowledgeable Heyward of the choice on Wednesday and described the 35-year-old veteran’s response as “very grateful for the chance, very stoic, very skilled.”
“What Jason did for the Dodgers in a yr and a half was fairly exceptional on the sphere, within the clubhouse, locally,” Roberts said Friday. “His fingerprint can be eternal.”
Photograph Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities
Have you ever subscribed to our YouTube channel? Subscribe and hit that notification bell to remain updated on all the newest Dodgers information, rumors, interviews, livestreams, and extra!
