Dodgers Trying to Find a Trade Partner for Puig

When the Los Angeles Dodgers recalled Yasiel Puig in June 2013, no one could have reasonably expected the explosive start he got off to. He jumped right into the Dodgers lineup and established himself as a star from the beginning. Puig hit two home runs and drove in five in his second game. He won both NL rookie and player of the month in his first month in the majors.

Puig hit .436 with seven home runs and 16 RBIs in his first full month in the majors. He had an otherworldly slash line of .467/.713/1.180. He was an instant superstar. He won his second player of the month award in May 2014. He led the NL with 43 hits that set a new Dodgers record for May. He also led the NL in RBIs, slugging, extra-base hits and total bases.

Numerous outlets are reporting that the Dodgers can’t “give away” Puig. Others have speculated they haven’t found the right trading partner. If the Dodgers just wanted to be rid of Puig and his multitude of issues, they would be able to do so easily. He has a very team friendly contract that pays him $14 million over the next two years.

The Dodgers did not designate Puig for assignment when he went sent to the Dodgers AAA team in Oklahoma City. He is still on the Dodgers 40 man roster. The reports are that he is done with them for the season, but Josh Reddick has struggled significantly since being acquired from Oakland. The Dodgers might be forced to recall Puig from OKC is Reddick doesn’t start hitting.

Reddick’s slash line in 18 games in Dodger blue is .149/.208/.164/.372. With Oakland, Reddick’s .368 on-base percentage was only five points lower than his OPS with L.A.

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe said of Puig and then quoted an unnamed Dodgers official that implies the Dodgers hope to keep Puig:

“(Puig) is considered toxic at the moment, but it takes only one team to want him. He doesn’t have too many allies in the Dodgers organization, but as one team official said recently, “At some point, the talent, the maturity is going to take hold. Someone will benefit from it. We hope it’s us, but it’s hard to envision it right now.”

It doesn’t seem likely that the Dodgers will place Puig on waivers according to former Reds and Expos/National’s General Manager Jim Bowden of ESPN:

“Although many are saying he will clear trade waivers, a couple of GMs told me they’ll consider claiming him. Teams will be looking to see if he has changed his load on his swing so that he can turn on a good inside fastball again,” Bowden writes. “At the right price he could be a worthwhile gamble; his combination of exciting tools and talent might help someone in need of a good defensive right fielder with raw power.”

This hasn’t been the first time Puig has had issues. There have been questions about him since the Dodgers signed him. Rumors swirled around his defection from Cuba. Some reports stated the Mexican Drug Cartel helped him defect. The issues with him in the States date to a pair of arrests for excessive speeding within his first year here.

Jessie Katz who wrote an article about Puig for Los Angeles Magazine said “If Puig accepted the offer, he would have to repay the financial backers the cost of getting him out of Cuba, and provide them with twenty percent (20%) of any future contracts that he entered into with the major leagues.”

Katz also relayed that the Cuban Baseball Commission said of Puig “NOT educated and a bad example for the rest of the players.” He was benched in 2013 for on the field problems. They involved not hitting the cutoff man and running through coaches stop signs. Other issues revolved around tardiness and being combative with teammates.

Yahoo Sports asked the question almost three years ago to the day, “What Should the Dodgers Do with Yasiel Puig?” All seemed well in Dodger town after he was benched in the middle of August 2013. The Dodgers (or so they thought) claimed on Twitter: “The kid learned his lesson”.

Next: Mlb: Top Ten Biggest Cuban Busts

The Los Angeles Dodgers will have a big decision to make in just over a week and again in the off-season. Do they bring him back on September 1 when the rosters expand? The questions remain about what that could do to the Dodgers chemistry. If he plays well, it ups his trade value in the off-season. They then have to make a decision to move him and get prospects and maybe some MLB players or keep him and help him to mature and reach his immense talent level.