Clayton Kershaw likes the new and improved Yasiel Puig
Yasiel Puig has been a different guy so far this spring, and it seems everyone in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization is pleased with the turnaround, including ace pitcher Clayton Kershaw.
“I’ve been really impressed with him this spring,” Kershaw told the Los Angeles Times. “He’s putting in a lot of work.” 
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If Puig is happier and healthier and working harder, as appears to be the case, he will likely play better, which could make the Dodgers a more dangerous team for the rest of the National League. Los Angeles is already expected to be in contention for the NL West title again and a run at the World Series. It’s no wonder a change in Puig is being celebrated.
One of the more interesting stories of the offseason for the organization centered around the question of whether Kershaw encouraged management to trade Puig. Former big leaguer Andy Van Slyke started that speculation in mid-November when he went on a St. Louis radio station and insinuated that Kershaw had suggested Puig be traded. Van Slyke’s son, Scott, is an outfielder for the Dodgers.
Kershaw and Puig traveled to Cuba this winter as part of an MLB sponsored goodwill trip and they might have started to repair their relationship there. Kershaw has never publicly acknowledged whether he did make that suggestion to the front office, and Puig doesn’t seem to care one way or the other, which is another sign he’s maturing.
“If he said it, he had his reasons,” Puig told the Times.
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So what has changed so dramatically to have Kershaw and others in the organization singing Puig’s praises in the early going this spring? Apparently it’s mostly Puig’s personality and work ethic.
In the past, Puig has been somewhat standoffish with at least some of his teammates, but he’s more personable and approachable this spring. He has had trouble getting to the ballpark on time in the past but that hasn’t been a problem to this point this spring. He also came to camp in much better shape, having dropped 15 pound from his listed weight in 2015 to 240 pounds. He claims to be at seven percent body fat.
Another change that seems to have sparked Puig is the change in manager. Puig acknowledged he and former manager Don Mattingly, now in Miami, did not “understand each other.” He said he has a good relationship and a friendship with new manager Dave Roberts, who also praised Puig.
“His energy, his outlook on things, his relating with his teammates, has been great,” Roberts said in the same article.
Puig played in only 79 games last season and didn’t resemble the same player who set the NL on fire in 2013 and 2014 when he made his first All-Star game. A hamstring injury was his biggest problem in being able to stay on the field. When he was in the lineup, he hit only .255 after hitting .319 and .296 the previous two seasons. He also hit only 11 home runs and finished with only 38 RBIs.
If Puig can decrease the drama he brings to the clubhouse and increase his production, he’ll continue to be embraced by everyone with the franchise, including those who have been among his biggest detractors.
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Kyle Ringo is a contributing writer to Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KyleRingo
