Cubs won’t retain Heyward, grab Reyes

The Chicago Cubs will cut ties with right fielder Jason

Heyward after the 2022 season, ending one of the most expensive and unproductive free-agent singings.

“We’re not going have him with the team next year,” Jed Hoyer, the team’s president of baseball operations, said Monday. “We’ve already talked to him about that. We want to give him the full offseason to find an opportunity. For us, given where we are as a group and where we’re likely going to be in the corner outfield next year, with Seiya (Suzuki) in (right field), we’re going to move in a different direction.”

Heyward, who turns 33 on Tuesday, signed an eightyear, $184 million contract prior to the 2016 season but has batted only .245 with 62 home runs in seven seasons with the Cubs. Heyward is batting .204 with one home run and 10 RBIs in 137 at-bats this season but has been on the 10-day injured list since June 27 because of right knee inflammation.

The Cubs will owe Heyward $22 million for the final year of his contract. Once he clears waivers, any team can claim him for the prorated minimum.

Also Monday, Chicago claimed former Cleveland slugger Franmil Reyes off waivers from the Guardians. He was designated for assignment on Saturday.

The 27-year-old hit cleanup for Cleveland at the start of the year, but posted just a .213/.254/.350 line in 70 games and struck out in more than a third of his plate appearances. He signed a $4.55 million contract for 2022 in March to avoid arbitration, and has two more seasons before he’s eligible for free agency.

The Cubs defeated the Washington Nationals, 6-3, with Keegan Thompson pitching six effective innings, rookies Nelson Velázquez and Christopher Morel hitting homers in the third inning.

Thompson (9-5) didn’t walk a batter for the second time in three starts while scattering five hits over six innings. Luke Voit hit a homer off Thompson with one out in the sixth to end Thompson’s shutout bid.

Orioles stay hot, beat Blue Jays

Ramón Urías hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Anthony Santander, Ryan Mountcastle, and Austin Hays also went deep to lift the Orioles to a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Baltimore.

The Orioles, who entered the day two games behind Seattle and Tampa Bay for the final two wild cards in the American League, have won six of seven and pulled within three of Toronto for the first wild card. This was the first of 15 meetings down the stretch between the teams.

Baltimore starter Jordan Lyles (9-8) allowed a thirdinning homer by Cavan Biggio, but the Orioles responded in their half of that inning with back-to-back solo shots by Santander and Mountcastle to make it 5-1.

Yusei Kikuchi (4-6) allowed five runs and six hits for the Blue Jays. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled in the fifth to extend his hitting streak to 19 games, the longest in the AL this year.

BC’s Dunn hit around, Mets win again

Chris Bassitt scattered eight hits over eight innings and Starling Marte hit a two-run homer in the first, leading the Mets to a 5-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds in Queens. With their 13th victory in 15 games, New York extended its NL East lead to seven games over Atlanta.

Bassitt (9-7) allowed an unearned run and walked one while striking out eight in his second eight-inning outing this season and fifth in 114 career starts. He threw 114 pitches, most by a Mets starter this year and two shy of his career high set in August 2019.

The Mets struck quickly against Reds starter and former New York prospect Justin Dunn (0-1), a Boston College product who was pitching in the majors for the first time since June 17, 2021.

Leadoff batter Brandon Nimmo was hit by Dunn’s fourth pitch and Marte homered well into the left-field seats two pitches later.

Dunn, a 2016 first-round pick of the Mets, allowed three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two in 4„ innings.