MLB Trade Rumors: Yasiel Puig seems to have survived again somehow
By Keith Rivas
Yasiel Puig has seemingly survived another year of MLB trade rumors.
Despite being the main topic of countless MLB trade rumors in the past, slugger Yasiel Puig is still with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In a year full of momentum shifts and swings, the last thing the Dodgers need at this point in the season is any drama.
Up to this point, Puig seems to have gotten his act together, but his stats aren’t all that wonderful. While he’s nearing his best year in terms of home runs, other categories speak volumes about how far of a drop off his hitting has succumbed to.
He’s batting .246 right now — his worst average in his MLB career — along with 65 strikeouts as of writing this. No triples on the year, and just 77 hits in general. Over his first two seasons, he had 122 and 165 hits, respectively.
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Then, if you look at his run production, he’s only scored 43 runs as of writing this. Somehow, despite all of that, on top of his occasional antics, he’s still with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This tells us a couple things about the situation. First, the team might have never lost faith in him at any point. Despite those numbers telling a declining story, perhaps those in charge of the team’s trade decision had a change of heart with regard to what Puig means to the team.
Especially right now, when offense is going to be of the essence with Clayton Kershaw injured with lower back issues.
The dilemma here isn’t necessarily a bad one, as baseball players going through the motions and sometimes not being able to maintain their hot start is nothing new.
Also, the Dodgers have been able to counter any lack of production from Puig with rocking young talent such as Cody Bellinger and last season’s rookie of the year in Corey Seager.
While Puig survives for the time being, there’s no telling what next year could hold. Los Angeles could be ready to move on or, if the price is right, let him figure things out on another team.
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But however you feel about the slugger, you can’t change the fact that he’s still representing the boys in blue.