New Houston Astros Slugger Nearly Went Silent on Dodgers After Being DFA'd

The Houston Astros newest slugger stopped talking to the Los Angeles Dodgers right after being let go.

Aug 20, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Jason Heyward (23) hits a three-run home run in the eighth inning as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29) watches at Dodger Stadium. / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros picked up a veteran bat that was just put on the market, but he might not have been too happy about leaving his old team.

Jason Heyward was recently let go from the Los Angeles Dodgers and according to a former teammate, he stopped talking to almost everybody.

"I don't think he's talking to anybody. I mean, would you guys be wanting to talk if you got fired from your job? I've had three text messages, and that’s three more than a lot of other people," said Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman per Mike DiGiovanna of Los Angeles Times.

Heyward is a player that has always been known to be an outstanding teammate, so this was likely out of the emotions of being traded rather than actually being upset at any of them.

He's a 15-year veteran and this is his first time being traded in the middle of a season, so it's likely a lot to process. The last time he was traded at all was nearly 10 years ago when the Atlanta Braves sent him to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Having a chip on his should could end up helping the Astros in the long run as they'll need him playing at a slightly higher level than he has been to make a real impact on the club.

The 34-year-old is not far off from playing great baseball, so the belief that he still has some juice isn't completely unfounded.

He had a .269/.340/.473 slashing line for Los Angeles last season, cranking 15 home runs and driving in 40 runs. It wasn't an every day role, but he did play most games.

His usage dropped a lot this past season and with it, so did his numbers. He's put up a disappointing .208/.289/.393 line. The slugging numbers are a bit intriguing and could have been what piqued Houston's interest. He did hit a three-run home run in his last at-bat for the Dodgers.

The outfielder will likely act as a supplement for Kyle Tucker as the Astros await his return. Maurcio Dubon and Jake Meyers haven't impressed over the last month, so it makes sense to give someone else a shot.

Once the playoffs come around, Heyward's role will be even clearer: smash against left-handed pitchers. He's putting up a .308/.308/.539 line against southpaws this year. It's a small sample size, only 11 games, but still promising.