Dodgers Designate Jason Heyward for Assignment, Activate Chris Taylor from IL

The Los Angeles Dodgers have designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment and activated Chris Taylor from the injured list.

Robert Murray of FanSided was first to report the news Thursday.

This comes on the verge of Chris Taylor returning from the injured list, where he had been parked since July 25 with a left groin strain. Taylor had been competing in minor league rehabilitation games since last week, first with Triple-A Oklahoma City and more recently with Class-A Rancho Cucamonga.

The Dodgers had a difficult roster decision coming with Taylor’s return and the emergence of Kevin Kiermaier in the outfield. The final roster spot likely was going to come down to Heyward, Kiermaier, or Kiké Hernández. Clearly, the Dodgers valued Kiermaier’s defense and Hernández’s versatility over Heyward’s bat and defense.

This move does come as a bit of a surprise, as Heyward has not only been great as a pinch-hitter, but he’s also the best friend of All-Star first baseman Freddie Freeman. However, the Dodgers are making the decisions they feel best for the roster, and in this case, it was Heyward being designated for assignment.

Tuesday, Heyward hit a three-run home run to lift the Dodgers to a 6-3 win over the Seattle Mariners. Now, that looms as the potential final at-bat of his Dodgers career.

Heyward appeared in 187 games with the Dodgers over the last two seasons, slashing .249/.322/.446 with 21 home runs and 68 runs batted in. This year, across 63 games, he slashed .208/.289/.393 with six home runs and 28 runs batted in.

Taylor is signed through 2025 under the terms of a four-year, $60 million contract extension he signed prior to the 2022 season. He’ll make $13 million next year, after which the Dodgers hold a $12 million option for 2026 or can buy out his contract for $4 million.

Photo Credit: Paul Halfacre-USA TODAY Sports

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