Cody Snavely
The Los Angeles Dodgers have placed veteran left-handed hitting outfielder Jason Heyward on the 10-day IL due to a lingering back issue.
Heyward, 34, has been dealing with a stiff back since the Freeway series against the Anaheim Angels prior to domestic Opening Day against the Cardinals.
Heyward was scratched from the lineup on Monday and would see back specialist Dr. Robert Watkins. While the scans came back negative, the Dodgers opted for an IL stint.
In Heyward’s place will be newly acquired outfielder Taylor Trammell, who was recently claimed by the Dodgers after being DFA’d by the Seattle Mariners last week.
Trammell, 26, is out of minor league options and would have to be placed on the 26-man roster. He had a .920 OPS (119 wRC+) in Triple-A last season and a great glove, but he has yet to translate that production into the MLB.
While the Dodgers could have gone internally for Heyward’s replacement, with top prospect Andy Pages waiting in the wings, they likely want Pages to get regular at-bats in AAA.
Pages did have a great 2024 Spring Training with a slash line of .471/.571/1.000 and an OPS of 1.571. However, He missed nearly the entire 2023 season with a torn labrum and has only 17 career AAA at-bats.
Also, Pages is a right-handed hitter, and the Dodgers already have a plethora of right-handers on the 26-man roster. Trammell is a left-handed bat that can fill the hopefully short RF void while Heyward is gone.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
