Los Angeles Dodgers skipper Don Mattingly has high hopes for his highly-priced team after it eclipsed the New York Yankees as the top payroll this season, ending the Bronx Bombers 15-year run on top, however he felt the need to clear the air with young, eccentric outfielder Yasiel Puig.
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Mattingly has expressed frustration in the past over Puig's attitude, but the two had a chat on Tuesday to address the skipper's comments after an MRI on the 23-year-old's back came back with no structural damage. Puig will receive treatment for back inflammation and is expected to return to the diamond Wednesday.
"We're good. I've got no issues with Yasiel," Mattingly said via MLB.com after making some harsh comments about Puig following an injury to his back during the teams Opening Series finale with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday.
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Mattingly seemed to intimate that Puig's theatrics when he swings and misses and appears injured are likened to the boy who cried wolf, but also said that he was more frustrated with the Dodgers (2-0) almost blowing a seven-run lead during a 7-5 victory over the D-Backs (0-2) Sunday. Mattingly also said the media made too big of a deal over his reaction to Puig's comments.
"I know Yasiel is a huge lightning rod, and anything I say is a huge story and anything he does is a huge story," Mattingly said, according to MLB.com. "Maybe I should have been more clear -- the before and after were two different things."
According to MLB.com, Mattingly said that Puig told him his back tightness improved on Tuesday but the Dodgers opted to keep him off the field until Wednesday's simulated game.
While Mattingly backed away from critical statements he made of Puig, he wouldn't back away from comments about his team despite the Dodgers being 2-0. Mattingly said the Dodgers played sloppy and wants them to fix their mistakes with 160 games remaining in the season.
"It was general frustration over that game," Mattingly told MLB.com. "It's a win, we'll take it, but the guys got to know we can't play like that and expect to win anything. I want the team to know that."
Puig was a sparkplug for the Dodgers last season, hitting .319 with 19 homers, 42 RBI and 66 runs.
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