Former Dodger Jason Heyward signs with Houston Astros: Reports

Hardly any team in the American League gets Dodgers fans as excited as the Houston Astros. Hardly any Dodger player received more affection when he was called up for action last Thursday than Jason Heyward.

In an unfortunate twist of fate, Heyward is joining the Dodgers' AL rivals, according to multiple reports Tuesday.

Brian McTaggart of MLB.com According to reports, Heyward, 35, is close to signing with the Astros. Ben Verlander of Fox Sports reported that the deal is complete.

Heyward posted a .208/.289/.393 batting average for the Dodgers before being designated for assignment last Thursday when Chris Taylor was activated from the injured list. Heyward officially became a free agent on Monday.

If and when the contract is official, the Dodgers will have to pay all but a prorated amount of the major league minimum salary for Heyward, who agreed to a one-year, $9 million contract in December.

It's a good deal for Heyward, as he gets to join the first-place team in the American League West that is in the thick of the playoff hunt. The Astros are 70-61, 3.5 games ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the American League West.

Houston is looking to extend its streak of consecutive American League Championship Series appearances to eight – a streak that began with the 2017 World Series, in which the Astros battled their way to a seven-game victory over the Dodgers. Only two batters – Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman – remain on the Astros' roster today, but the animosity remains.

Enter Heyward, whose DFA evoked strong feelings from longtime teammate Freddie Freeman (and likely others in the Dodgers locker room).

“What Jason did for the Dodgers in a year and a half was quite remarkable on the field, in the locker room and in the community,” manager Dave Roberts said Friday. “His fingerprint will remain forever.”

Heyward made the Dodgers' 2023 roster as a non-roster guest player after spring training and then surprised everyone by posting a .269 batting average with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs in a platoon role.

Heyward, a four-time Gold Glove Award winner in right field, has played four different positions and as a DH over the past two seasons.

Injuries limited him to playing in just 63 games this year and he hasn't been nearly as productive in the field when healthy. Heyward's sixth home run of the season was the game-winning hit for the Dodgers on August 20 against the Seattle Mariners.

Ultimately, it was too little, too late to save his spot on the roster, as Taylor returned from the injured list. Now he hopes to bring his veteran experience and ability as a hitter to an eager Astros team.

If nothing else, it would at least make for an exciting storyline in the World Series if both the Dodgers and the Astros made it that far.

Photo credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

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