Yea, but did Yasiel Puig play the game the right way as he delivered four extra base hits, three of them triples, in a key divisional match-up against the San Francisco Giants?
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Sure, he helped the Los Angeles Dodgers jump out to a big lead in a crucial game as the calendar quickly approaches August. But did he run in an inoffensive manner, with a palatable bat flip (or lack thereof) and respect for the game? If not, those clutch hits surely must count less or something, right?
Puig might bother people, and in many cases he earns his criticism with the way he acts. But it ought to never obscure the fact that he is the best position player on the Dodgers and could be one of the most important players in the National League playoff picture.
He showed why on Friday night with his amazing stat line: 4-for-5, three triples and a double, two runs scored and two driven in. That kind of impact cannot be overstated, obviously, even if Puig was playing at AT&T Park where even the most lumbering runners have a chance at a triple if he split the right gap.
These all came on a night where the Dodgers have an incredible five triples as a team, with Dee Gordon and Matt Kemp also contributing three-baggers.
Check out video of Puig’s third triple below: