Dodgers News: Yasiel Puig Removed From Game With Sore Left Hand
UPDATE (July 20, 3:25 p.m.): Dylan Hernandez reports Puig will undergo a second X-ray when the teams moves on to Pittsburgh as part of their road trip:
Puig will undergo another x-ray exam in Pittsburgh. Mattingly: "We think he's going to be OK."
— Dylan Hernandez (@dylanohernandez) July 20, 2014
UPDATE (July 19, 5:00 p.m.): X-rays on Puig’s left hand were negative, per J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News Group:
Puig X-ray negative
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) July 20, 2014
UPDATE (July 19, 4:50 p.m.): Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register reports Puig is expected to get X-rays taken of his left hand:
#Dodgers Yasiel Puig likely getting X-rays on left hand.
— Bill Plunkett (@billplunkettocr) July 19, 2014
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Yasiel Puig’s All-Star week was a bit of a disappointment with him putting up a donut in the Home Run Derby and striking out in all three at-bats in the All-Star Game.
Puig admitted to being nervous, said he would improve in future years and also added he was focused on the second half of the season. For the Los Angeles Dodgers, that meant a nine-game road trip beginning in St. Louis on Friday.
The Dodger offense sputtered in the 3-2 loss, Puig included, as he was 1-for-3 with a walk. Facing Joe Kelly Saturday didn’t come with any relief for Puig or the Dodgers. Puig went 0-for-1 with a walk and hit by pitch, but didn’t bat in a key eighth-inning situation.
According to the Dodgers, Puig was removed due to a sore hand:
Yasiel Puig left the game with a sore left hand after being hit by a pitch in the 3rd inning. #Dodgers
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 19, 2014
It didn’t appear Kelly intentionally hit Puig, though it did stir memories of the pitch that struck Hanley Ramirez on the ribs in Game 1 of the 2013 National League Championship Series.
Had Puig been able to remain in the game, he would have hit with Dee Gordon standing on second and one out. Instead, Matt Kemp pinch-hit and struck out, which was followed by a Hanley Ramirez strike out.
The Dodgers wound up losing a second consecutive game to the Cardinals in frustrating fashion.
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Yasiel Puig’s Top Five Plays
I think there is more problems on this Dodger team then we know about. There is no excuse for the way the Dodgers are playing. On the offensive end, the players are trying to hard to play every day and not just relaxing and hit the ball. Matt Kemp is definitely a distraction. Is Don Mattingly the right coach to bring them out of this slump. I don’t so!