The Padres announced that theyve released . That was the anticipated outcome after he was designated for a signment over the weekend. San Diego signed Heyward to a one-year, $1MM free agent deal. They hoped hed hold his own as the left-handed part of Mfiondu Kabengele Jersey a cheap left field platoon. It hasnt worked. Heyward hit .176/.223/.271 with a pair of home runs in 95 plate appearances. He mi sed a couple weeks in mid-April with knee inflammation and has been sidelined since May 24 with an oblique strain. Hes now healthy, but the Padres opted not to put him back on the active roster. San Diego left fielders are hitting .220/.270/.320 acro s 296 trips to the plate overall. Its a clear area to upgrade as the deadline approaches. Heyward, 35, returns to the open market. He split last season between the Dodgers and Astros, batting .211/.288/.412 over 87 games. Hed surprisingly turned in a robust .269/.340/.473 slash as a platoon bat for the Dodgers two seasons ago, but his production has dropped off since then. If he catches on elsewhere, his new team would only pay him the prorated portion of the $760K league minimum for whatever time he spends in the big leagues. The Padres would otherwise be on the hook for the rest of his salary. Elton Brand Jersey