And now, another former Dodgers World Series title holder has ended his own playing career, though he was only a member of one of the franchise’s championship teams.
Former Los Angeles Dodgers Champion, 5-Time Gold Glover Jason Heyward Announces Retirement
After 31 years, 16 major league seasons,” Jason Heyward wrote in an Instagram caption announcing his retirement on Friday. “I’d like to take one last time to show love to the game of baseball as a player.”
Heyward is best remembered for his time with a different pair of other National League contenders, as he played a combined 12 seasons with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs. He earned an All-Star nod, five Gold Glove Awards and three seasons of Most Valuable Player Award votes for those teams. And he was a key member of the 2016 Cubs team that ended a lengthy championship drought.
But Heyward also played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros and San Diego Padres in his career, and he was a member of the Dodgers’ 2024 championship team.
Jason Heyward Academy Releases Statement On Los Angeles Dodgers Tenure After Retirement
Heyward was most notably with the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals before creating history with the Chicago Cubs in the 2016 World Series, helping end one of the longest championship droughts in sports,” a release sent directly to Forbes by the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy read. “He added a second championship ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, where he was valued for his leadership and for his support of younger players on the team.”
On the field, Heyward appeared in just 63 games for the Dodgers in 2024 and he was released late in the regular season. But he played in 124 games for the 2023 Dodgers team after signing a minor league contract and then making the Opening Day roster out of camp.
In his two combined campaigns with Los Angeles, Heyward slashed just .249/.322/.446, averages that are in line with the rest of his career. And as the baseball world celebrates his standout tenure now that he’s announced its end, Dodgers fans have good reason to remember his contributions to a season that launched baseball’s latest dynasty.