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Los Angeles Dodgers: The six breakout stars of the last six seasons

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 04: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leaves the batter's box on a single in the third inning of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 04: Max Muncy #13 of the Los Angeles Dodgers leaves the batter's box on a single in the third inning of the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers
(Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Dodgers /

2013: Yasiel Puig

  • 2013 season: .319 AVG, 19 HR, 42 RBI, .925 OPS

  • Career prior: N/A

Yasiel Puig was the catalyst that not only dug the Los Angeles Dodgers out of the trenches in 2013 but started the five-year run that had made them a constant staple of the postseason this decade. While Puig has not been at the same level his entire career as he was in 2013, it was his early debut that slingshot the Dodgers from worst to first.

Puig had an absolutely insane start to his career and an overall solid rookie season that saw him finish second in National League Rookie of the Year voting. Were Puig to get a full 162 games in instead of 104, he likely would have won the award.

Puig made his debut on June 3. By the time June 10 rolled around, Puig was hitting .500 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and a 1.453 OPS in 33 plate appearances. In the entire month of June, Puig hit .436 with seven home runs, 16 RBIs and a 1.180 OPS.

It did not take long for Dodgers’ fans to see that cannon that Puig had, either. In his first game, Puig gunned down Chris Denorfia at first base to end the game.

Next: Top 10 teams in Dodgers' history

Puig was nothing sport of special in his rookie season for the Dodgers and set the tone for the next five breakout stars to follow. The Los Angeles Dodgers could have been completely different if a young player from Cuba did not break out the way he did, who knows where the Dodgers would currently be.

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