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Few American League groups roil the blood of Dodgers followers greater than the Houston Astros. Few Dodger gamers elicited extra fondness upon being designated for task than Jason Heyward final Thursday.
In a clumsy accident, Heyward is becoming a member of the Dodgers’ AL rivals, in response to a number of reviews Tuesday.
Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reported Heyward, 35, is near signing with the Astros. Ben Verlander of Fox Sports reported the deal is finished.
Heyward slashed .208/.289/.393 for the Dodgers earlier than he was designated for task final Thursday when Chris Taylor was activated from the injured record. Heyward officially became a free agent Monday.
If and when the contract is official, the Dodgers can be on the hook for all however a pro-rated portion of the key league minimal wage for Heyward, who agreed to a one-year, $9 million contract in December.
It’s a superb deal for Heyward, who will get to affix the first-place crew within the American League West within the thick of a playoff hunt. The Astros are 70-61, 3.5 video games forward of the Seattle Mariners within the American League West.
Houston is trying to prolong its streak of consecutive American League Championship Collection appearances to eight — a streak that started with the 2017 World Collection, through which the Astros trash-can banged their way to a seven-game collection victory over the Dodgers. Solely two hitters — Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman — stay on the Astros’ roster at the moment, however the unhealthy blood stays.
Enter Heyward, whose DFA elicited robust emotions from longtime teammate Freddie Freeman (and certain others within the Dodgers’ clubhouse).
“What Jason did for the Dodgers in a 12 months and a half was fairly exceptional on the sector, within the clubhouse, locally,” supervisor Dave Roberts said Friday. “His fingerprint can be eternal.”
Heyward made the Dodgers’ roster in 2023 as a non-roster invitee out of spring coaching, then shocked everybody by hitting .269 with 15 house runs and 40 RBIs in a platoon function.
A four-time Gold Glove Award winner in proper discipline, Heyward noticed time at 4 completely different positions and DH during the last two seasons.
Accidents restricted him to 63 video games this 12 months, and he was not practically as productive on the sector when wholesome. Heyward’s sixth house run of the season was the game-winner for the Dodgers on Aug. 20 in opposition to the Seattle Mariners.
Finally, that was too little too late to save lots of his roster spot as Taylor returned from the injured record. Now, he’ll hope to take his veteran expertise and clutch-hitting expertise to an keen Astros crew.
If nothing else, it could make for an intriguing storyline within the World Collection ought to each the Dodgers and Astros advance that far.
Picture Credit score: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports activities
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