The San Diego Padres have agreed to a deal with free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward, league sources told The Athletic. Heyward, 35, is expected to platoon in left field with fellow veteran Connor Joe, who agreed to his own deal earlier Friday.
Heyward, a left-handed hitter, has made just eight of his 1,616 career starts in left. Six of those starts came last season with the Houston Astros, who signed him in August after he was released by the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 24 games with the Astros, Heyward hit .218/.283/.473 with four home runs. In 63 games before his release, he hit .211/.288/.412 with six home runs for the Dodgers.
Heyward has spent the majority of his career in right field, winning five Gold Glove awards from 2012 to 2017. The Padres have Fernando Tatis Jr. entrenched at that position, and Jackson Merrill in center field. The departure of 2024 All-Star Jurickson Profar left the team with a conspicuous hole at the other corner-outfield spot.
Despite his relative inexperience in left, Heyward remains a solid defender. But both he and Joe were below-average hitters in 2024. The terms of their new deals were not immediately available Friday night; neither player is expected to command a significant salary.
The Padres, facing payroll constraints, are considering trading away key players to address their remaining needs for starting pitching and greater depth at multiple positions. For now, with the additions of Heyward and Joe, left field is lower on the list of priorities.
(Photo of Jason Heyward making a game-winning catch for the Astros last season against the Angels: Thomas Shea / Imagn Images)
