Puig will be making $5.5M this season, $6.5M in 2017, $7.5M in 2018, and then enters his first year of arbitration in 2019.
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That option doesn’t seem likely – after everything they’ve been through, the Dodgers are going to want some sort of compensation, right?
Chicago is third in the AL Central at 51-54 and in danger of missing the playoffs for the 10th time in 11 years since the 2005 championship season.
With Puig in town, the Dodgers had plenty to worry about when it came to their pitching rotation, and injuries to Clayton Kershaw and others haven’t helped. So it’s back to the Minor’s for him. He hit two home runs in his second game, and he had 27 hits in his first 15 games.
With Yasiel Puig set to join Triple-A Oklahoma City, either Saturday or Sunday, a myriad of scenarios are possible moving forward. His brash on-field style, particularly his celebrations for big plays and arguments with umpires, made him a favorite target of opponents’ beanballs and columnists’ outdated complaints about players who don’t conform to a Jeter-like standard of professionalism. He didn’t travel with the team and at this point, there is so much bad blood between the player and the organization that it’s hard to believe they will ever reconcile. He’s still a viable Major League player – he was batting.301 with a.813 OPS in his last 30 games – but that’s not good enough for the Dodgers.
Although Puig wasn’t traded ahead of yesterday’s deadline, the Dodgers’ acquisition of southpaw Rich Hill and right fielder Josh Reddick from the A’s all but confirmed Puig’s imminent demotion.
Trading away Yasiel is highly unlikely before the end of the season, unless he clears waivers or a team claims him.
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The Dodgers start a series against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday at Coors Field. But the Dodgers wouldn’t part with prized prospect Julio Urias, and also kept promising minor-league pitcher Jose De Leon. Could he be headed to the Disabled List (DL) instead? The future is uncertain for this once shining star in Dodger blue. Obviously, the lack of production and his rebelliousness these past few seasons come into play if a team would be willing to take a chance on now the 25 year old Puig. Starting outfielders Puig, Joc Pederson and Trayce Thompson have combined for a.243 batting average.
