Yasiel Puig benched for ‘occasional lack of focus and effort’?

Yasiel Puig was benched for Game 4 of the NLDS as the Los Angeles Dodgers were eliminated by the St. Louis Cardinals. More information is coming out as far as the reason for that suspension.

It still is not clear why Yasiel Puig did not start the deciding game of the NLDS for the Dodgers. Manager Don Mattingly said that Andre Ethier gave his team a better chance to win but did not elaborate.

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Was it because Puig was playing with a bum ankle? Maybe, but Mattingly inserted him as a pinch runner late in this game. Was it because of Puig’s mini-slump leading into that final game? Maybe, but Puig had still been one of the more productive players for the Dodgers in the series and it is hard to leave that talent on the bench when your season is on the line.

Predictably, we now have a report that suggests Puig might have been benched for other reasons, specifically an “occasional lack of focus and effort.” That is according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports:

"Puig, 23, angered some teammates and coaches throughout the series with his occasional lack of focus and effort in center field, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.Whether the team’s frustration with Puig contributed to his benching, if at all, is not clear; Mattingly declined comment. Puig at times drew praise this season for showing a greater attention to detail. But his sporadic lapses remain a source of tension within the club, sources said."

Sources, you guys.

You know what goes a long way to alleviate tension in the clubhouse? Winning games and advancing in the postseason. The Dodgers hurt their chances to do so by benching Puig. It’s not necessarily the reason why they are at home watching the NLCS, but it didn’t help either.

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