Division rival releasing former Dodgers spark plug outfielder proves they can't be LA

The Dodgers dumped reclamation project Jason Heyward in brutal fashion in August of last year to accommodate Chris Taylor coming off the IL, just days after he'd hit a game-winning homer that strengthened his argument to stay on the roster.

To make matters worse, Freddie Freeman (his closest friend) went onto the IL just a few days later, a move that could've bought Heyward some more time if the Dodgers had made it sooner.

After leaving LA, Heyward signed with the Astros and then the Padres (in free agency this past offseason). Picking two teams Dodgers fans hate probably wasn't a direct middle finger to the organization that unceremoniously sent him packing, but it certainly read like one.

However, Heyward was far from the outfield solution the Padres were looking for after their lackluster offseason. In 34 games, he batted .176 with a .494 OPS — far worse numbers than he put up with the Dodgers — and had two separate stints on the IL in just two months, first with knee inflammation and then with an oblique strain.

The Padres designated Heyward for assignment on June 21, then released him altogether on Tuesday. Sorry, San Diego. As much as you want to be us, you can't.

Padres release Jason Heyward less than a year after Dodgers sent him packing

Heyward was, at one point, a prized example for the Dodgers' player development operation. After being tossed aside by the Cubs with millions still left on his contract, the Dodgers signed him to a minor league deal (at Freeman's encouragement) for 2023 and invited him to spring training. He cracked the Opening Day roster and hit .269 with an .813 OPS for his best season since 2019, which earned him a major league contract for 2024, which the Dodgers ended up having to eat some of when they let him go.

The stint with the Astros and now being released by the Padres makes it pretty clear that Heyward's career is on its last legs. He could always go to the White Sox, or maybe the Rockies if they end up shipping off some of their outfielders at the trade deadline, but otherwise this might be the end of the road for him.