A former World Series champion has announced his retirement after 16 seasons.
Jason Heyward has elected to retire after failing to catch on with a team this offseason. The five-time Gold Glove winner spent the bulk of his career with the Atlanta Braves and Chicago Cubs.
Jason Heyward has announced his retirement after 16 seasons spent with the Braves, Cardinals, Cubs, Dodgers, Astros and Padres.
— MLB (@MLB) March 27, 2026
He is an All-Star, 5x Gold Glove Award winner and 2016 World Series champion. pic.twitter.com/oKaNASvOUh
Heyward is best remembered for his time with the Cubs, where he was part of the team’s 2016 World Series win. He has been widely credited for stabilizing the team with his rain delay meeting as the Cubs were threatening to blow Game 7 of the World Series. That, more than anything else, is his legacy with the Cubs.
After bursting onto the scene with Atlanta, Heyward spent a year with the St. Louis Cardinals before moving to the Cubs for eight years and $184 million. He never quite lived up to that figure, but established himself as one of the game’s best defensive outfielders for the majority of his career.
Overall, Heyward retires with a .255 average and 186 home runs in 1,824 career games. He made one All-Star game during his career, having done so as a rookie in 2010.
