There are conflicting reports about Yasiel Puig’s availability in trade talks
Major League Baseball’s non-waiver trade deadline is usually good for a mild surprise or two. If we get one this season though, one of the popular names being thrown around is that of Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig.
According to CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman though, that doesn’t seem likely. Heyman reports the Dodgers recently reassured Puig that they won’t be entertaining trade offers with his name attached to them.
That would indicate Puig will remain with the Dodgers at least through the end of the season, where it’s possible the Dodgers will reevaluate Puig’s status and their roster makeup as a whole.
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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.
It should be noted that MLB.com’s Ken Gurnick is disputing Heyman’s report, stating that no such guarantee has been made.
Puig was not in the starting lineup Saturday night against the Mets, hours after an Internet report that he had been told by the club that he wouldn’t be traded before the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline. A baseball source, however, said Puig was not guaranteed he wouldn’t be traded.
He is or he isn’t. They will or they won’t. Who knows, maybe the Dodgers don’t even know.
This we know though. Puig’s name has been connected to a handful of potential deals this month, including one involving the Cincinnati Reds. The Dodgers were reported to be targeting both Johnny Cueto and Aroldis Chapman.
Another thing that’s clear: If the Dodgers do ever consider moving Puig, it will require a monster return with potential for lasting impact rather than to solidify a deal for what amounts to a short-term rental. Heyman throws out the names of Chapman and San Diego Padres closer Craig Kimbrel as players who would make sense in a Puig deal. Phiadelphia Phillies left-hander Cole Hamels would be another, as he’s under contract through 2018 with a team option for 2019.
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Worth noting, Puig is currently in the third year of his six-year, $42 million deal. That’s a very team-friendly deal, which is some ways probably makes it easier for the Dodgers to shrug off his antics
Puig has also had issues staying healthy this season. He missed several weeks early in the season while recovering from a hamstring injury. Whether it’s related to that injury or not, he’s yet to really get on track, batting .259 with six home runs and a .759 OPS. The raw talent remains, however, and at just 24 years old, Puig remains an interesting piece of whatever puzzle he’s a part of.
With that in mind, what would you do if you were the Dodgers?
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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Townie813
