Dodgers News: LA Fans Ambivalent Over Jason Heyward Signing
The Dodgers signed outfielder Jason Heyward to a minor-league contract with an invitation to spring training on Thursday. Maybe it's the lack of other offseason action from L.A., but fans had a lot to say about this particular deal.
Heyward is a former All-Star, five-time Gold Glove winner, and 2016 World Series champion, but he's had just one good offensive season since signing with the Cubs after 2015, and that came in the shortened 2020 season. Overall in seven years with Chicago, Heyward posted just an 86 OPS+.
Our friends at Dodgers Nation asked for fan reactions to the signing on Twitter, and the responses showed a dissatisfaction with the offseason's trajectory.
Some responses accurately noted that if this weren't the only move the Dodgers had made in the last couple weeks, this no-risk signing would be a footnote no one was really even talking about.
But yeah, plenty of fans saw this as a sign that no big moves are coming and reacted accordingly. Realistically, the signing of Heyward doesn't have any effect one way or another on the Dodgers signing Carlos Rodon or Carlos Correa or anyone else that might be higher on fans' wish lists.
Heyward will compete for a job in spring training. If he wins one, great. If not, he probably has an opt-out and moves on from the organization. Worst-case scenario, he's depth in Triple-A.
This move is meaningful only because there's nothing else to talk about right now. If Los Angeles has an active offseason from here on out, we'll get to spring training and collectively say, "Oh yeah, I forgot they singed Heyward." And if they continue to have an extremely inactive offseason, it won't be the Heyward signing that put fans over the edge.
