Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig's stint in Los Angeles has been at times tumultuous, but never more trying than in 2015. With his struggles at the plate coupled with a persistent left hamstring injury, the concept of trading the young outfielder has popped up on several occasions.
The Cuban ballplayer is okay with getting dealt.
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2015 hasn't gone so well for Puig and Los Angeles even put him on revocable trade waivers earlier this month before taking him off when he was claimed by another club. Though they pulled him back, there have been a lot of rumors that Puig may be dealt in the future and he said he is content no matter where he ends up.
"When I did what I did, the fans of the city welcomed me very well, and thanks to them I felt very happy in that city," Puig said, according to ESPN. "If I finish my career with this team, it would be a great pleasure for me, as it was my first team in the majors. But if not, I can play on any team. I came here to play baseball. That's up to [the Dodgers]. If I'm put on waivers or traded, I will play anywhere."
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The Dodgers can't move Puig until the offseason now because they've pulled him off waivers, but there has been a lot of speculation that his time in Los Angeles could be running out.
Puig, 24, burst on the scene in 2013 and hit .316 with 19 homers and 42 RBI. The outfielder then followed it up with another solid season in 2014, finishing with a .296 batting average, 16 round-trippers and 69 RBI.
Puig is hitting .250 this season and has an OPS of .754 while his hamstring struggles have held him to 72 games in the Dodgers lineup this season. He has even sat out to yield playing time to Carl Crawford this season as well.
Puig has had a sorted history in his three-year stint with the Dodgers, getting into off-field incidents with teammates and making some questionable decisions on the diamond in regard to hitting the cut-off man and running the bases. He's also drawn the ire of manager Don Mattingly in the past for being late on occasion, but when he was playing well the issues weren't as glaring.
Though he's taken strides to improve his rapport with his teammates and his manager, his struggles at the plate and with his health may lead to his downfall in L.A.
Los Angeles can use a healthy and productive Puig as it continues its NL West battle with the Giants. Entering Friday, the Dodgers own a 2.5-game lead over their rivals.
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