Dave Roberts has had dozens, if not hundreds of conversations like the one he had with Jason Heyward on Wednesday night, when the Dodgers manager has to inform a player there is no longer room on the roster and he’s being designated for assignment.
But this one cut much deeper because it was with one of the most respected and well-liked players on the team, the best friend of first baseman Freddie Freeman and the winner of the 2023 Roy Campanella Award, which is given annually to the Dodgers player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the Hall-of-Fame catcher.
“It was very challenging, probably one of the tougher things I’ve had to do,” Roberts said before Friday night’s series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays. “What Jason did for the Dodgers in a year and a half was pretty remarkable, on the field, in the clubhouse, in the community, and his fingerprint will be everlasting.
Read more: Dodgers Dugout: Why did the Dodgers get rid of Jason Heyward?
“It was a very difficult decision, but we had a roster crunch. Guys finally came back to health, and we only have so much room.”
The decision was especially difficult for Freeman to absorb. He and Heyward were drafted by Atlanta in 2007 and developed what Freeman called a “lifelong friendship” while coming up together in the Braves organization. Freeman lobbied hard for the Dodgers to sign Heyward to a minor league deal before the 2023 season.
“I text messaged him and said it feels like 2014 all over again,” Freeman said on Saturday, alluding to the trade that sent Heyward from Atlanta to the St. Louis Cardinals. “It’s above my pay grade about what the decisions and all that stuff are, but just personally, it’s sad.”
Freeman said Heyward had a “massive impact” on the Dodgers in his short time here, one that extended far beyond anything the 15-year veteran did on the field.
“That’s what I fought for to get him over here in the first place, that [no matter] how long he’s here, he’s going to make a lasting impact for many, many years beyond his time here,” Freeman said. “I think it rings true when every single person in this organization, in this clubhouse is sad.
“The impact he’s had on so many people … he’s made a lot of the young guys better, and that’s why I really wanted him to be here in the first place, because I know what kind of impact he’s going to have on certain people’s careers as they go forward.”
The decision to cut ties with Heyward was not made…