Yasiel Puig may have punched his way out of landing in another big market.
There have been rumors that the Dodgers have been looking to trade the embattled young outfielder, but following his highly-publicized Thanksgiving Eve bar fight in Miami, he may not have many suitors.
Dave Roberts Is Key For Dodgers Reaching World Series
Los Angeles has a glut in its outfield as Joc Pederson, Andre Ethier and Carl Crawford all vie with Puig for playing time, while Scott Van Slyke, Alex Guerrero and Jose Peraza are all role players capable of playing in the outfield.
Given Puig's troubled past, the Dodgers may be inclined to move him this offseason. The trade possibility, however, took a hit when the Cuban outfielder got into a bar brawl last Wednesday. Police officers have said that the incident in question was caught by surveillance videos and they've watched the tape, according to TMZ.
Puig got into a physical altercation with his sister at the Blue Martini bar and footage from the evening showed him hit a bar manager in the face, which led to several others throwing down with the former All-Star. The Dodgers and the MLB are reviewing the footage, but club president Stan Kasten wouldn't commit to Puig being a part of his roster next season.
"As soon as we know the facts, then we'll know how to react," Kasten said via TMZ. "Let's see what happens."
If the trade doors swing open, however, big market teams may balk on picking up Puig. Though he initially thrived in the Los Angeles market, an injury plagued 2014 season saw the outfielder's numbers dip significantly. Puig hit just .255 in 79 games last season with 11 homers and 38 RBIs.
Adding off-field behavioral issues to the equation may hurt the likes of the Red Sox or the New York teams even contemplating trading for him.
Puig was in Miami, a party city, and got himself into trouble, but it wasn't the first time he gained a bad reputation. His own Dodgers teammates don't seem too fond of him and a lot of those issues were chronicled in a book authored by ESPN's Molly Knight entitled, "The Best Team Money Can Buy."
Just recently, Andy Van Slyke, father of Scott, said an anonymous player (suspected to be Clayton Kershaw) didn't want Puig on the team.
"When the best player -- the highest paid player on the Los Angeles Dodgers -- goes to the GM and is asked what are [the needs of the club], this particular highest-paid player said, 'The first thing you need to do is get rid of Puig,'" Van Slyke said during an interview on CBS Sports 920 AM (via Deadspin). "That's all you need to know."
Getting rid of Puig, however, could be quite the uphill battle given his off-field issues and the fact that his current teammates apparently want nothing to do with him.
For more content, follow us on Twitter @SportsWN or LIKE US on Facebook
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
