Andrew Heaney, Dodgers Reportedly Agree to Contract, Will Be Eligible for MLB Playoffs

After being released by the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday, veteran pitcher Andrew Heaney has quickly found a new home.

According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Los Angeles Dodgers are signing Heaney ahead of the postseason eligibility deadline. He will reportedly join the team on a minor league deal and report to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

Heaney made 26 appearances with 23 starts for the Pirates this season but wasn't very effective, posting a 5-10 record with a 5.39 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 120.1 innings of work. He surrendered five earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning in a 7-6 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals on Aug. 25, and he was designated for assignment by Pittsburgh the very next day.

This marks Heaney's third run with the Dodgers, as he was previously acquired in December 2014 before being flipped in a trade to the Los Angeles Angels. He later spent the 2022 season with the franchise, making 14 starts with two relief appearances and finishing with a 4-4 record, a career-best 3.10 ERA and 110 strikeouts. His impressive year landed him a two-year contract with the Texas Rangers, with whom he won the 2023 World Series.

At 78-59, the Dodgers have a two-game lead for first place in the NL West. Ardaya noted that Heaney "represents a low-risk flier at this stage of the season in case their currently healthy rotation or bullpen suffers any setbacks over the final month."

The reigning World Series champions are hoping to earn one of the two first-round byes in the playoffs, but they rank third in the National League behind the Milwaukee Brewers (85-53) and Philadelphia Phillies (79-58). Los Angeles is getting healthier for the stretch run of the season, and adding Heaney provides even more insurance as the playoffs approach.