Dodgers outfielder Jason Heyward returned from the injured list on Sunday. Heyward was scheduled to play right field and bat seventh as Los Angeles finished a series against the Boston Red Sox.
The 34-year-old Heyward had been on the injured list since July 5 due to a bone bruise in his left knee. He has a .203 batting average with four home runs and 20 RBIs in 42 games this season.
“He hasn’t had many at-bats this year,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We have some left-handed pitchers coming up against the Giants. It was important to have him back in the lineup tonight.”
To make room for Heyward on the roster, outfielder James Outman was sent back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Outman finished third in the 2023 NL Rookie of the Year voting but struggled this season with a .153 batting average, three home runs, and a .508 OPS in 45 major league games.
Heyward’s return marks the beginning of an important week for the Dodgers, who hold a 7 1/2 game lead in the NL West despite numerous injuries.
Three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is set to make his season debut on Thursday against San Francisco after recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
All-Star right-hander Tyler Glasnow is expected to start on Wednesday after missing the past few weeks with back tightness.
“It feels like our team is coming together,” Roberts noted. “While the substitutes have done a great job, these are the players we planned to have from the start of the season. Having them back is very encouraging.”
