The Los Angeles Dodgers experienced seven seasons of Yasiel Puig, but his impact, tenacity, and eccentric nature are all still talked about today.
After his time in LA, Puig spent the 2019 campaign with both the Cincinnati Reds and in Cleveland, and later played in the Dominican Winter League, Venezuelan Winter League, the Mexican League, and Korea Baseball Organization.
The All-Star right-fielder spoke to Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain regarding where he wants to finish his career, and was asked if he wants to end it back in LA.
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“Yes, I want to be with Los Angeles again one more time,” Puig said. “I love the city, I love the fans, this is a great place to be, and I do my little career here in Los Angeles. I love the stadium, I love everything that comes with the Dodgers like great fans, great city, [I have been with] a lot of different teams and I want to live that part of my life again.”
Puig’s iconic 2013 rookie season was arguably his best in MLB.
He hit .319/.391/.534 with a .925 OPS on his way to a second place Rookie of the Year finish (the late Jose Fernandez finished first) and added 19 home runs and 42 RBIs.
The “Wild Horse,” a nickname dubbed by legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, was known for his ferocious speed and his aggressive base running techniques. Puig was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba and tried to defect to Mexico 13 times to become a legal resident and be eligible to sign an MLB contract.
While a return to his high level is unexpected, Puig said he was open to signing a minor league deal if it meant getting the opportunity to play for the Dodgers organization one last time. At 34 years old, Puig is still hoping to get one more chance at the major league level.
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Photo Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
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3 Responses
I’d love to see Puig back in the bigs, he was a talented and extremely entertaining player. But not with the D’s, apparently he was a nightmare in the clubhouse. But he was fun to watch.
Sign him to a one day contract so he can retire as a Dodger and then he can go on his way, the Wild Horse to another round-up…
LOL!!