Dodgers reassure OF Puig he won't be traded
Dodgers star outfielder Yasiel Puig has been assured by Dodgers higher-ups he will not be dealt this trading season, sources close to the team said.
Puig, the mercurial and occasionally controversial talent, was reassured within the last couple days in New York after hearing rumors he could be dealt to the Reds or elsewhere for needed pitching, according to those sources. Puig took the extra step of inquiring about his status after hearing the rumors.
While it’s always possible things can change as teams get closer to the deadline and needs have yet to be met, presumably they wouldn’t have assured him he was staying unless they meant it.
And indeed, sources close to the situation affirm that the Dodgers “are not having any conversations about Puig and are not interested in moving him.”
The Puig trade speculation is only natural considering the Dodgers have told teams they have no intention to trade top prospects Corey Seager or Julio Urias, and reports of some tension related to Puig within the Dodgers clubhouse have resurfaced, including a couple stories relating past run-ins with Dodgers teammates in the new book about the 2013 Dodgers, Best Team Money Can Buy.
Puig, sidelined earlier with a hamstring issue, also hasn’t quite performed as he did in his first two seasons, when he became a sensation with his great tools, especially his power, speed and arm. He posted a .925 OPS as a rookie in 2013, and the mark is .769 so far this year. He is batting .259 with six homers and 22 RBI.
However, Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are believed to favor keeping Puig, who is still only 24 years old. And Walter didn’t hide his feelings recently in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, saying, “I wouldn’t give up on him now. Puig clearly, clearly has incredible potential and talent. I think he’s got a big heart and wants to play hard. So I think this will show up.”
Walter added, “I think he’s just going to be a great player.”
The Dodgers put trade rumors to rest after Yasiel Puig meeting with the club’s higher-ups. (USATSI)
The Dodgers are aiming to improve on their $270-million first-place team by acquiring a top starting pitcher. They have interest in top starters Cole Hamels of the Phillies, Johnny Cueto of the Reds, Yovani Gallardo of the Rangers and Jeff Samardzija of the White Sox, plus others (possibly including the Padres’ Tyson Ross or Andrew Cashner and the Reds’ Mike Leake), and of course Tigers ace David Price, should he become available. The Dodgers are also looking to improve their bullpen, which is what cost them last October and has been showing signs of slippage in recent weeks.
It wouldn’t make any sense at all to trade Puig for any of the rentals, but Hamels plus star relievers Aroldis Chapman and Craig Kimbrel are controllable for more years. Puig also has a very team-friendly deal; he’s in the third year after signing for $42 million over six years.
Meanwhile, they continue to tell teams they will not trade either one of their two top-10 prospects in baseball, the hitting star Seager or young left-hander Urias.
The Dodgers have other very good prospects such as: pitchers Jose De Leon, Grant Holmes, Chris Anderson and Zach Lee; catchers Austin Barnes and Julian Leon; outfielders Alex Verdugo and Scott Schebler; infielder-outfielder Darnell Sweeney; and first baseman Cody Bellinger.
The Dodgers lost starting pitchers Hyun-Jin Ryu and Brandon McCarthy to injuries earlier this year, creating a need in the rotation.
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