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Dodgers Rumors: Three Takeaways from Dodgers Opening Day 2017

By Evan Lovett

April 3, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson (31) is greeted by second baseman Logan Forsythe (11), third baseman Justin Turner (10) and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (23) after hitting a grand slam home run against the San Diego Padres in the third inning during the opening day game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
April 3, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers center fielder Joc Pederson (31) is greeted by second baseman Logan Forsythe (11), third baseman Justin Turner (10) and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez (23) after hitting a grand slam home run against the San Diego Padres in the third inning during the opening day game at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dodgers Rumors – Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Dodgers Rumors – Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports /

The New, Improved Puig

Right fielder Yasiel Puig smacked a double down the left-field line in the fifth inning. That was probably the least impressive thing he did before the game was out of hand.

Though his first plate appearance ended immediately with the new zero-pitch intentional walk (and subsequent bat flip), he turned on an inside fastball and careened a line drive to left field, snagged by Travis Jankowski. His head in the game and on the ball, the seventh inning exemplified what the Dodgers should expect from the new, improved Puig.

Getting behind 0-2 to Padres reliever Luis Torrens, Puig worked the count back to full, fouling off a pitch before earning a base on balls. This is the exact type of at-bat that Puig gives away over the past two seasons, and the renewed focus and discipline was on display on Opening Day.

After the walk, Puig provided heads up base running – you read that correctly, folks – intentionally getting himself into a rundown after Andrew Toles’ blunder left him stranded between second and third base. Puig sacrificed his own out to allow Corey Seager to advance to second while Toles took Puig’s place at third, thus evading the force out to end the inning.

Focused, heads up and attentive – if this is the Puig that plays in 2017, the Dodgers have a top-tier weapon at their disposal that is currently batting eighth in the lineup.

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