Fansided

5 best landing spots for Yasiel Puig

By John Buhler

Oct 7, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig in the dugout during game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 7, 2014; St. Louis, MO, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig in the dugout during game four of the 2014 NLDS baseball playoff game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Jul 9, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) watches his two run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Jul 9, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) watches his two run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies in the eighth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

American League. Central. Detroit Tigers. 4. player. 63.

The Detroit Tigers are one of the teams in Major League Baseball that has had a better season thus far than originally expected. Detroit is in the American League Wild Card mix in 2016 and is easily the second-best team in the American League Central behind only the juggernaut Cleveland Indians.

Given that the Indians are probably going to win the American League Central this season, the Tigers best chance to make the American League Postseason has to be as either Wild Card team. With the American League East having three strong teams in the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox, and the Toronto Blue Jays, could the Tigers make a splash via the waiver wire?

It would be a big gamble, but wouldn’t Puig be a boost to a depleted outfield for the Tigers? He’d be a strong right-handed hitter than can either DH or play any of the three outfield positions. In a way, it would be the Tigers would get a Mulligan from their experiment with fellow Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes.

Detroit may not be able to handle the clubhouse distractions that seem to surround Puig and manager Brad Ausmus doesn’t seem to be a guy that will tolerate that kind of nonsense, especially if he feels he’s on the hot seat with regards to his managerial post.

That being said, Detroit might want to take a gamble on a firecracker like Puig to see if he can’t ignite a second-half surge for the Tigers. Though they’ve been to two World Series in the last decade (2006, 2012), the Tigers have yet to win one since 1984.

Next: 3. New York Yankees.

Home/MLB