The relationship between the Los Angeles Dodgers and outfielder Yasiel Puig has soured to the point the outfielder is on revocable waivers.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been disappointed with outfielder Yasiel Puig all season. The outfielder was sent down to Triple-A last week and now has been placed on revocable waivers. Will there be any takers?
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Puig was placed on revocable waivers but expects for the young outfielder to be claimed. Rosenthal still thinks that the most likely time for Puig to be traded will be in the offseason. The Dodgers would like to negotiate with the whole league rather than just the one team that claimed him.
Puig trade more likely in off-season, when #Dodgers could negotiate with 29 teams rather than one - assuming he is claimed, which is likely.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) August 28, 2016
Puig, 25, has had his most disappointing season of his career this year. After bursting onto the scene in 2013 and continuing that success in 2014, has had trouble over the past two seasons. On August 2nd, Puig was sent down to Triple-A Oklahoma City because of his lack of production and effort. Prior to his demotion, Puig was hitting .260/.320/.386, while having one of the worst infield flyable rates at 25.3 percent.
More from Call to the Pen
- Philadelphia Phillies, ready for a stretch run, bomb St. Louis Cardinals
- Philadelphia Phillies: The 4 players on the franchise’s Mount Rushmore
- Boston Red Sox fans should be upset over Mookie Betts’ comment
- Analyzing the Boston Red Sox trade for Dave Henderson and Spike Owen
- 2023 MLB postseason likely to have a strange look without Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals
Since being sent down to Triple-A, he has been tearing it up. He has posted a .375/.420/.641 line in 69 plate appearances against the Pacific Coast League pitching. Puig’s replacement in the Major Leagues has been even worse than Puig. Josh Reddick has posted a .141/.202/.154 line this month. Even with this in mind, it does not appear that the Dodgers will call up Puig any time soon.
Another issue the Dodgers had with Puig at the big league level was his maturity and clubhouse presence. According to FanRag Sports’ Jon Heyman, Puig has received positive reviews in that area since being sent down to Oklahoma City. The Dodgers were hoping that sending him down would cause this to happen and they were exactly right.
Puig has helped trade cause with play/behavior in triple-a. @Ken_Rosenthal 1st reported he's on waivers.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 29, 2016
The turnaround that Puig has showed at Triple-A shows the Dodgers and potential trade suitors that he could help them down the line. The Dodgers should not have trouble trading him because of his team-friendly contract and ability to be a superstar. Puig is under control for the next three seasons and is set to make $14 million through the 2017 season. He also has the option of opting into arbitration but after a disappointing 2016 it does not seem to be the route he will take.
Next: ChiSox Sale and Quintana On The Block?
Whether the Dodgers trade Puig or keep him they need to get their value. If they keep him, they need him to produce a lot more than he has this season. If they decide to trade him, they need to get their value back that they believe they deserve. The Yasiel Puig saga has again taken another turn and who knows if we will ever see the superstar Puig ever again.