Veteran Heyward excited to join Astros in stretch run

HOUSTON -- When veteran outfielder Jason Heyward was released by the Dodgers earlier this week, he wasn’t so sure he’d get another opportunity to play this season. A call from the Astros changed his plans and led him to Minute Maid Park, where he went 1-for-2 with a two-run double for Houston in Thursday's series-opening 6-3 victory against the Royals.

The Astros agreed to a deal with Heyward on Tuesday and signed him Thursday after he passed a physical Wednesday. Houston hopes the 35-year-old can provide some offense in an outfield that has been without All-Star Kyle Tucker since June 3 and saw Chas McCormick -- a starter last year -- optioned to Triple-A on Wednesday.

“Stepping into a new clubhouse is always cool, but more importantly, especially when a team is trying to win every day,” he said. “I’m just happy to be a part of the grind with them every day.”

Heyward slashed .208/.289/.393 with six homers and 28 RBIs in 63 games with the Dodgers this year, and has dealt with injuries that have limited his availability. A five-time Gold Glove winner who can play all three outfield spots, he has a solid reputation as a leader and could be an integral part of Houston’s veteran clubhouse.

“I know there’s a lot of guys who are here from the core [of Astros’ title teams in 2017 and ‘22] but also some younger guys, as well,” Heyward said. “It’s another opportunity for me to play with some future Hall of Famers in this game, which I don’t take for granted. As far as what’s in [the] tank, I was on the IL a few times this year, and I think there was a lot of baseball I was hoping to play. Hopefully this gives me a chance to play a couple of more months.”

Heyward was unable to build on a 2023 season that saw somewhat of a career rebound. He hit .269 with 15 homers and an .813 OPS last season after signing with the Dodgers as a Minor League free agent following his release by the Cubs at the end of 2022.

“The first thing in our conversations is how excited he is for being here,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “I’m excited for him being here. This is a guy who’s been on really good teams, been in championship environments. The conversations I had with many people, coaches and players, said some great things about him. I’m excited to have him here.”

For his career, which began with fanfare when he homered in his first MLB at-bat with the Braves in 2010, Heyward has hit .257 with 180 homers and a .748 OPS. He won the World Series with the Cubs in 2016, famously giving a speech to the team during a rain delay in Game 7 en route to the end of the team's 108-year championship drought.

“I’ve been really fortunate in this game to play for teams trying to win late in the season and have expectations for October, and Houston making a phone call says a lot about what I’ve done to earn something in the game, as far as a reputation for winning and something about what they want to do and what they want to continue to have for a while,” he said.