Former Padres, Dodgers, Braves All-Star Announces Sudden Retirement From MLB

He spent the final season of his 16-year career with the Padres.

May 10, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; San Diego Padres outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) is congratulated by San Diego Padres outfielder Jason Heyward (22) after his home run in the fifth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: John Leyba-Imagn Images | John Leyba-Imagn Images

Jason Heyward, who spent the final season of his 16-year career with the San Diego Padres, has officially announced his retirement from Major League Baseball.

He appeared on MLB Network on Friday to make the announcement.

“After 16 major league seasons, I’m going to announce my retirement,” Heyward said. “I’m glad and happy to be stepping to the other side of the game. I look forward to being a potential mentor to any of the young players coming up — anybody that’s in the game right now. I feel like the game is in good hands in that sense. I look forward to being a fan and seeing what other ways I can give back. … Thank you to everybody that’s been there to support [me]. The fans, teammates, coaches, staff, ownership groups, everyone and so on — thank you for allowing me to live out my dream.”

“Thank you for allowing me to live out my dream.” 🥹

Jason Heyward calls it a career after 16 MLB seasons ❤️ https://t.co/REbibqRYOA pic.twitter.com/h0kDPfIiuG
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 27, 2026

Heyward was a former first-round pick by the Atlanta Braves in 2007. He made his MLB debut in 2010, making the first and only All-Star Game of his career. He finished second in National League Rookie of the Year voting that season behind San Francisco Giants catcher Buster Posey.

Heyward spent five seasons with the Braves before joining the St. Louis Cardinals for a year. He then went to the Chicago Cubs, where he helped them break the 108-year World Series drought in 2016, his first year with the team.

After seven seasons with Chicago, Heyward bounced around the league with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Braves (again), Houston Astros and Padres, where he finished his career. Heyward appeared in 34 games with the Padres last season.

Overall, across his 16 seasons in MLB, Heyward appeared in 1,824 regular season games, hitting .255 with 186 home runs, 730 runs batted in and an OPS of .744. He was a one-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove award winner, winning four in a row from 2014-17. He won the Wilson Overall Defensive Player of the Year award in 2014.

Heyward also appeared in 45 postseason games in his career, hitting .145 with two home runs, seven RBIs and an OPS of .435.

Heyward has two World Series rings — one from his time with the Cubs in 2016 and one from his time with the Dodgers in 2024.