Jason Heyward officially released by the Cubs on Monday

CHICAGO – For months now, it was widely known the move was going to be made, and all that was left was to make it official.

The Cubs did that on Monday when it came to Jason Heyward.

On social media, the team announced that they’ve officially granted the outfielder his unconditional release after spending the last seven years with the club. He is being let go ahead of the final year of his contract which he was owed $22 million.

Team president Jed Hoyer made the announcement that Heyward would be released at the end of the season during a news conference at Wrigley Field on August 8th. This came as the outfielder was dealing with right knee inflammation that put him on the injured list in June and kept him out the rest of the regular season.

Heyward played in only 48 games in the 2022 season, hitting .204/.278/.277 with five doubles, a triple, home run, and ten RBI.

While he didn’t play the rest of the season, the outfielder was honored twice at Wrigley Field before his career with the club came to an end.

On September 16th, Heyward was recognized in a pregame ceremony as the Cubs’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award.

In the fourth inning of the Cubs game against the Reds at Wrigley Field on October 1st, the team honored Heyward’s time with the club by playing a special video in the fourth inning. After that, Heyward emerged from the dugout with his 2016 World Series championship ring as he received a standings ovation from fans.

Signed before the 2016 season, Heyward played in 744 regular season games, hitting .245 with 111 doubles, 62 home runs, and 289 RBI. He won National League Gold Gloves 2016 and 2017 and was often lauded for his leadership on a team that snapped the franchise’s 108-year World Series championship drought.

That included a speech during the rain delay in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series in Cleveland, which players and front office members credit for refocusing the team before winning the contest 8-7 in 10 innings for the championship.