Dodgers News: Puig Successfully Begins Second Rehab Assignment
After suffering a setback and being temporarily shut down, Yasiel Puig began a second rehab assignment with High-A Rancho Cucamonga as he looks to return from a strained left hamstring.
Puig’s first attempted rehab assignment came one month and was cut short when he aggravated the hamstring injury in his second game with the Quakes, which was also his first time in the outfield since being placed on the disabled list. On Thursday he played right field and hit second, going 2-for-4 with one double, one single and a strikeout.
Puig potentially could have stretched his double into a triple, but he and the runner on base jogged when the ball first came off the bat. Video of the hit is courtesy of Tony Ciniglio of the Los Angeles Daily News:
After playing seven innings and collecting two hits, Puig was pinch-hit for. According to George Alfano of MLB.com, Puig didn’t appear limited by the hamstring:
Puig appeared to move without trouble, and his only real in-game test came when he grounded out to third. On that play, he got out of the batter’s box slowly but then ran reasonably hard to first.”
Puig expressed a desire to suit up with the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend, but acknowledged it’s not his decision:
In only 11 games with the Dodgers this season, Puig failed to reach the expectations that have been placed on him, batting .279/.380/.465 with two home runs and four home runs. Only twice did he have a multi-hit game.
Without Puig in the lineup Andre Ethier has manned right field more times than not and picked up the slack. Since Puig was placed on the disabled list April 26, Ethier is hitting .278/.357/.478 with five home runs and 16 RBIs in 35 games (31 starts).
While the Dodgers certainly won’t rush their All-Star right fielder back, Puig’s return will be welcomed given the number of injuries on the roster. Puig is expected to be in the Quakes’ lineup again Friday night.
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