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MLB Trade Rumors: Dodgers place Yasiel Puig on waivers

By Joshua Sadlock

Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) at bat in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) at bat in the fifth inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Dodgers appear to finally be done with Yasiel Puig, placing him on trade waivers this weekend.

According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, the Los Angeles Dodgers have placed embattled outfielder Yasiel Puig on trade waivers.

The Dodgers appear prepared to move on from Puig for good this time. The 25-year old was optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City in early August. At the time of his demotion, Puig was hitting .260/.320/.386 with only seven home runs. Since going down to the minors, Puig has batted .375 in 17 games with four home runs. Unfortunately, he also ran afoul of the front office by posting an expletive-filled Snapchat video hours after a loss.

Puig is still only 25 years old with a very affordable contract that will pay him roughly $17.5 million over the next two seasons. Prior to the 2016 season, Puig had pledged to make an effort to be a better teammate, but not much had changed in terms of his overall behavior. Without the performance to back it up, the Dodgers do not have much more reason to tolerate his divisive antics.

Given Puig’s age and potential, it is unlikely that he will go unclaimed on waivers. After the non-waiver trade deadline, any team can put in a claim on a player on waivers like Puig. If multiple teams claim Puig, the team with the worst record from the National League has the rights to negotiate a deal with the Dodgers first. If a claim is made, the Dodgers can elect to work out a trade or pull Puig back and keep him in the minor leagues.

Because the Dodgers will be able to negotiate a trade with only one team, Rosenthal speculates they will wait until the offseason before finalizing a trade. Regardless, it appears Yasiel Puig has worn out his welcome for good in Los Angeles. It will be up to a team with high-quality veteran leadership to help him tap into his immense potential.

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