Jason Heyward, who launched his 16-year major-league career at age 20 with the Atlanta Braves in 2010 and won a World Series with the Chicago Cubs in 2016 and another with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, announced his retirement Friday.
“I wanted to reach this moment and know without a doubt that it was time to walk away, and I do,” Heyward said in a statement. “No second-guessing, no looking back, just gratitude.”
Heyward played in 34 games with the San Diego Padres in 2025, hitting .176.
For his career, Heyward hit .255 with 186 home runs with six teams. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros. The outfielder won five Gold Gloves, including four straight seasons from 2014-17. He turns 37 in August.
Heyward, whose nickname is “J-Hey,” played his first five seasons with the Braves and set career highs with 27 home runs and 82 RBIs for Atlanta in 2012. He was drafted by the Braves in 2007 from Henry County High School in suburban Atlanta.
Heyward came to the Cubs as a free agent in December 2015, signing an eight-year, $184 million contract — the richest in total value in franchise history.
Heyward played for the Cubs for seven seasons from 2016-22. He finished his Cubs career with 744 games played, a .245 batting average, .323 on-base percentage and .700 OPS.
Most memorably, Heyward delivered a speech during the rain delay in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, giving the Cubs a spark in extra innings to win the franchise’s first title in 108 years. The Cubs granted Heyward his unconditional release in November 2022 with one year and $23 million remaining on his deal.
He said he plans to focus on his eponymous youth development program based in Chicago.
Dave Roberts managed Heyward with the Dodgers in 2023 and 2024 when the outfielder was known as a clubhouse leader. He described Heyward as “old-school in the sense of always doing nice things for young players, buying dinners, buying stuff for them, showing them how to be a big leaguer.”
Heyward said playing 16 years in the major leagues “gave me everything, and now I get to give some of that back. Through the Jason Heyward Baseball Academy, I get to mentor the next generation, keep my hands in the game, and make sure kids in my community have the opportunities and the space to dream the same way I did.”
Roberts said he talked to Heyward during spring training and Heyward indicated he wanted to stay in the sport in some capacity.
“The game needs guys like Jason,” Roberts said.
AP reporter Beth Harris in Los Angeles contributed.
