Heyward to give Ross season-long retirement gift

Jason Heyward is putting some of the $184 million the Chicago Cubs are giving him over the next eight seasons to good use on retiring teammate David Ross.

Heyward is paying for Ross, who was his Atlanta Braves teammate from 2010-12, to have a hotel suite while the Cubs are on the road throughout the entire season.

"That's one of the first emotional moments I had in the offseason," Ross told MLB.com's Carrie Muskat on Monday. "(Heyward) texted me this nice long message about supposedly what I've done for him. That was cool to start reflecting back and people you've played with start saying nice things."

And while Heyward's gift will certainly outdo the one Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant are giving to Ross in his final big-league season, it won't have the same comedic effect.

The 2016 campaign will be the veteran catcher's 15th in a career that's currently featured 816 games played and a World Series title with the 2013 Boston Red Sox.