Jason Heyward has cooled down since a hot start at the plate in spring training, but Dave Roberts remains encouraged by the veteran outfielder.
started to believe all the way back in January, when he and Heyward hit together for the first time this offseason at Freeman’s old El Modena High field in Orange County, taking flips from Freeman’s dad, Fred, and launching them around the outfield.
Even though his camp performance has tailed off the last several weeks, and he remains no guarantee to produce during the regular season, it appears increasingly clear he’ll have a role to play in the Dodgers outfield in 2023. His hands are now lower and further back in his setup stance. His bat path is shorter and flatter than it used to be. And when everything has clicked, he’s been able to cover more parts of the plate and adjust to off-speed pitches, key factors during his auspicious four-for-10 start to Cactus League play.
That, Heyward did quickly, taking advantage of a center-field void created this offseason when the Dodgers non-tenderedThe team signed two other left-handed-hitting veterans to minor league deals, Steven Duggar and Bradley Zimmer, and has a top prospect pushing for an MLB spot in James Outman. But thus far, it’s Heyward who is leading the group, combining his veteran poise and five-time Gold Glove defense with just enough offensive potential to separate himself from the pack.
Since that hot start to the spring, the 33-year-old has cooled off dramatically. He entered Thursday one for his last 16 in exhibitions. He has struck out eight times in 14 at-bats while looking late on fastballs and chasing pitches off the plate.“I don’t think that anyone expected it to be linear,” the manager said. “I think he started off really well, and then he hit a little cold spell, and is working through some things.
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