Dodgers News: Jason Heyward Doesn’t Want to Be Anywhere Else Next Season
Nobody expected much from Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward after he got offered a minor league deal this February.
What followed was possibly the best bargain in all of baseball after the 34-year-old achieved the fourth-best OPS mark of his entire career in year 14.
Heyward now wants to return to LA next year after his strong play on the field and as the needed veteran voice for the 2023 Dodgers.
“I would love to be asked to come back,” Heyward said. “If they feel like I’m valuable to be back here, that would be an honor.”
The former Brave came up in Atlanta's minor league system alongside Freddie Freeman and reunited with his old friend this year in Los Angeles.
Many Dodgers fans didn't think much of the small contract offered to the outfielder before the spring, but now LA can't imagine life without both his bat and glove in the lineup.
Heyward always flashed some impressive leather no matter where he went as shown by his five Gold Gloves across Atlanta, St. Louis and Chicago.
Already a champion from the famed 2016 Cubs, the past few years at the plate haven't been Heyward's best.
In the last two full seasons he played at Wrigley Field, Heyward's power numbers suffered significantly with just nine total home runs across 152 games in both 2021 and 2022.
LA proved once again that they could revive any struggling veteran with their analytics team and went to work on Heyward to some great results.
In 124 games as a Dodger, Heyward smacked 15 home runs and became a key cog on defense thanks to Mookie Betts' willingness to play second base.
That unselfish attitude sure rubbed off across the team and Heyward knows this exact mentality will be paramount if he and LA want another ring on their fingers in just a few weeks.
