Dodgers Sign Veteran in Surprising Reunion for Stretch Run: Reports

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According to multiple reports Monday, the Dodgers are signing pitcher Andrew Heaney, who was recently let go by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Jon Heyman of the New York Post, who was first to report the news on Twitter/X, reports that Heaney will be assigned to Triple-A Oklahoma City. He will still be eligible to join the Dodgers later this month and in October on a postseason roster.
Heaney will begin in AAA Oklahoma City where he lives. Has signed in time to be playoff eligible. https://t.co/QS2eIaDnOp
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) September 1, 2025
Heaney, a 34-year-old left-hander, was 5-10 with a 5.39 ERA in 26 games (23 starts) for the Pirates this season.
In Nov. 2021, the Dodgers signed Heaney to a one-year, $8.5 million contract as a free agent. The following season he went 4-4 with a 3.10 ERA in 16 games (14 starts) in Los Angeles. He also made one relief appearance in the Dodgers' four-game National League Division Series loss to the San Diego Padres; Heaney allowed one run in three innings.
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Now, three years later, he's back for what will technically be a third tour of duty with the Dodgers. At the 2014 Winter Meetings, the Miami Marlins traded Heaney to the Dodgers, who quickly flipped him to the Angels for Howie Kendrick.
Well, @Dodgers we had a good run! Great to be a part of such a storied franchise. #thanksforthememories
— Andrew Heaney (@Heandog8) December 11, 2014
Heaney was designated for assignment last Tuesday by the Pirates and released three days later. His minor league contract with the Dodgers might not cost more than the major league minimum if he is promoted, and even less if he remains in Oklahoma City. The Pirates still owe Heaney the remainder of their one-year, $5.25 million contract.
Heaney is 56-72 with a 4.55 ERA in 229 career games with the Marlins (2014), Angels (2015-21), New York Yankees (2021), Dodgers (2022), Texas Rangers (2023-24) and Pirates (2025).
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Although he's been a starting pitcher in the majority (208) of his appearances, Heaney would likely fill a multi-inning relief role if he is promoted to the Dodgers — barring injuries.
The six-man rotation of Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani and Emmet Sheehan is healthy. Since Aug. 1, when Snell replaced Dustin May in the starting rotation, the unit is fourth in MLB in ERA (3.28).
Heaney is an Oklahoma City native who still lives there in the off-season. In the worst-case scenario, he will remain with the Comets the rest of the season, enjoying the minimal commute without impacting the Dodgers' luxury tax number.
In the best-case scenario, Heaney might help a Dodgers bullpen whose 3.74 ERA and 2-6 record since Aug. 1 are legitimate causes for concern as the playoffs approach.
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J.P. Hoornstra is an On SI Contributor. A veteran of 20 years of sports coverage for daily newspapers in California, J.P. covered MLB, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Los Angeles Angels (occasionally of Anaheim) from 2012-23 for the Southern California News Group. His first book, The 50 Greatest Dodgers Games of All-Time, published in 2015. In 2016, he won an Associated Press Sports Editors award for breaking news coverage. He once recorded a keyboard solo on the same album as two of the original Doors.
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