Jason Heyward DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

San Diego Padres outfielder Brandon Lockridge has been told he will make the Opening Day roster, and he's expected to platoon in left field with Jason Heyward to begin the season, according to MLB.com's AJ Cassavell. Lockridge, who bats right-handed, will be on the short side of the platoon with Heyward, primarily entering the starting lineup when the Friars face a left-handed starting pitcher. The 28-year-old earned a spot on the Opening Day roster by hitting .364 with seven stolen bases and two RBI in 20 Cactus League games this spring. He made his big-league debut in 2024 with SD but appeared in just 12 games, going 2-for-12 with a homer, RBI and two stolen bases. Lockridge's main draw is his speed -- he stole 50 bags in the majors and minors with the Padres and Yankees in 2024 -- but because his playing time will be limited, he's mainly an asset for his speed in NL-only fantasy leagues.

According to Dennis Lin of The Athletic, the San Diego Padres have signed outfielder Jason Heyward to a contract. Lin noted that Heyward is expected to share time in left field with Connor Joe who the team acquired earlier on Friday evening. Heyward opened the season with the Los Angeles Dodgers but eventually ended his campaign in Houston. Across 87 contests, the veteran posted a .211/.288/.412 slash line with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, and five stolen bases. In 2023, Heyward held a solid .269/.340/.473 slash line with 23 doubles and 15 home runs across 124 contests with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Given his strong defensive metrics, fantasy managers should expect Heyward to be given several opportunities in left field, likely in a platoon role with Connor Joe. However, given his declining bat, he should only be targeted in deeper NL-only formats.

The Houston Astros officially signed free-agent outfielder Jason Heyward to a one-year deal on Thursday and designated pitcher Janson Junk for assignment in a corresponding move to open up a spot on the 40-man roster. The Astros continue to look for platoon help in right field with Kyle Tucker (shin) still out, especially after they optioned Chas McCormick to the minors on Thursday. Tucker is expected back at some point in September, but until then, the 35-year-old Heyward could see ample playing time in right field against right-handed pitchers in Houston. Fantasy managers in mixed leagues can leave Heyward to the waiver wire, but he could be an interesting short-term flier in AL-only leagues. The Los Angeles Dodgers cut Heyward recently after he hit just .208/.289/.393 with a .682 OPS, six homers and 28 RBI in 173 at-bats this year.