Former Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward finds a new team for 2023

CHICAGO – After spending the last seven seasons with the Cubs, Jason Heyward will try to continue his career in Major League Baseball on the west coast.

The Dodgers announced on Thursday that they’ve signed the outfielder to a minor league contract for the 2023 season with an invitation to major league camp.

This gives Heyward the chance to take the field for a 14th MLB season if he’s able to make it on the Los Angeles roster after spring training. This is the outfielder’s fourth team in his career, having played for the Braves (5 years), Cardinals (1 year), along with the Cubs.

On August 8, the Cubs president Jed Hoyer announced that the club was releasing Heyward ahead of the final year of the eight-year, $184 million contract he signed before the 2016 season.

Heyward was on the injured list for most of the 2022 season and didn’t return after June 24th as he dealt with right knee inflammation. He played in just 48 games, hitting .204/.278/.277 with five doubles, a triple, a home run, and ten RBI.

During his time in Chicago, Heyward was lauded for his strong fielding and leadership in the clubhouse. His 2016 World Series Game 7 rain delay speech to teammates after dropping a three-run lead late to Cleveland was considered a galvanizing moment in the team’s comeback victory for a World Series championship.

Heyward also won two of his five Gold Gloves in Chicago, doing so in 2016 and 2017.

His production at the plate, however, never quite lived up to the size of his contract, as he hit .245 with 111 doubles, 62 home runs, and 289 RBI in 744 regular season games.

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