SAN DIEGO -- The Padres designated outfielder Jason Heyward for assignment on Saturday, as they shuffled their roster to account for the return of right-hander Bryan Hoeing.
Heyward, a 16-year big league veteran and a 2016 World Series champion with the Cubs, faces an uncertain future. He began the season as the Padres’ regular left fielder, but he mostly struggled and twice landed on the injured list.
In 34 games with the big league club, Heyward batted .176 with a .494 OPS. He’d spent the past two weeks on a rehab stint with Triple-A El Paso. But the Padres needed to free up a spot on their 40-man roster, and it was Heyward who gave way.
In 16 big league seasons with six different teams, Heyward has racked up 1,575 hits and 186 home runs. A 2010 All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove Award winner, Heyward tallied 41.5 Wins Above Replacement according to Baseball Reference. It’s unclear if he’ll get another big league opportunity elsewhere -- or if he’ll seek one.
The Padres, meanwhile, still have not solved their left-field situation. Offensively, their left fielders entered Saturday tied for 27th in the Majors with 67 wRC+ -- an all-encompassing hitting metric. That number has recently been boosted by Gavin Sheets, who has been solid offensively this season but is much better suited to a first-base/DH role.
The Padres will continue to search for a left-field solution on the trade market. In the meantime, they’ll continue deploying Sheets there. Brandon Lockridge, Tyler Wade and Bryce Johnson are also options.
As for Hoeing, he was activated from the 60-day injured list after missing the first 74 games with a right shoulder strain. Fellow right-hander Sean Reynolds was optioned to Triple-A El Paso in a corresponding move.