The Atlanta Braves have signed OF Yasiel Puig to a one-year major league contract, pending a physical. Terms have not been disclosed.
Nevermind
With first baseman Freddie Freeman‘s 2020 availability still uncertain after contracting the COVID-19 virus and outfielder Nick Markakis electing not the play, the Braves moved Tuesday to address a glaring line-up deficiency by signing the best available free agent, outfielder Yasiel Puig.
The contract details have yet to be disclosed, but reporting indicates that it is a one-year deal.
UPDATE: Per his Twitter account on Saturday, Yasiel Puig has tested positive for COVID-19 and will not be signing with Atlanta.
The Player
Yasiel Puig, OF
Age: 29 | Throws: R
.267/.327/.458 | 101 wRC+ | 24 HR | 19 SB | 7.2% BB | 21.8% K (Cincinnati and Cleveland)
Career: .277/.348/.475 | 124 wRC+ | 132 HR | 79 SB | 8.8% BB | 20.2% K
Puig was a star on the Cuban amateur and pro circuit before defecting to the United States. That saga is worthy of a 5-part miniseries in itself, but suffice to say that when he was finally allowed to sign with a major league club, the Dodgers stepped up to the plate with a 7-year, $43 million deal that at the time was a record for a Cuban defector.
Puig made his major league debut less than a year later, on June 2, 2013 at the age of 22 years. Puig hit .319/.391/.534 with 19 homers in 104 games with the Dodgers that season, helping the team back to the division championship for the first time in four seasons and coming in second in Rookie of the Year voting. He went 8-for-17 in the 4 game Dodger win in the Division Series against Atlanta.
Puig was the top position player for the Dodgers the following year, hitting .296/.382/.480 with 16 home runs, earning his first and only All-Star nod and MVP consideration. The next two seasons however Puig was bothered by recurring hamstring issues which limited his effectiveness on the field and kept him bouncing on and off the disabled list. During this time, continued rumblings of off-the-field tension between Puig and manager Don Mattingly were regularly reported. An outgoing and exuberant personality, Puig seemed to clash with the more button-down, traditional-minded manager. For his part, Mattingly felt like Puig wasn’t focused enough on the game and that the young star wasn’t making the most of his potential. There were the occasional run-ins with teammates as well, many of which came to light after the publication of journalist Molly Knight’s behind-the-scenes book about the 2014 Dodgers club, The Best Team Money Can Buy.
Mattingly left the club after the 2015 season, and Puig seemed to have a better relationship with new manager Dave Roberts. Challenged by Dodger management to lose weight in order to relieve stress on his hamstrings, a slimmed-down Puig reported to camp in 2016 in better shape and started the season well. A deep mid-season slump however caused the Dodgers to trade for outfielder Josh Reddick while trying to trade Puig. Not finding a deal they liked, they ended up optioning Puig to AAA, where he spent the month of August until rejoining the Dodgers in September and for the playoffs.
Puig’s relationship with the Dodgers remained strained over the next two seasons as his production dropped while simultaneously failing to give what coaches felt like was his best efforts. In particular, the Dodgers were disillusioned with Puig’s resistance to their outfield positioning. While Puig’s larger-than-life personality made him a popular figure among fans, the front office repeatedly tried to get an reasonable trade return for him. After the 2018 season, the Dodgers finally were able to move Puig, sending him to the Reds, along with former Braves Matt Kemp and Alex Wood, for prospects. Just a year away from free agency, Puig admitted before the 2019 season that his effort level with the Dodgers was not always what it should have been, but his on-field production with Cincinnati still lagged. The Reds ended up trading Puig to Cleveland in a deadline deal that famously was consummated while Puig was on the field playing for Cincinnati when tensions caused benches to clear against the Pirates. Puig, now a member of the Cleveland Indians though unknown to him at the time, fought nearly the entire Pirates team and ended having to serve a 3-game suspension as an Indian.
Hang this in the Louvre. pic.twitter.com/2ArAXSEOqf
— Cut4 (@Cut4) April 7, 2019
The Big Picture
Given his history and likely more importantly his diminishing on-field production, Yasiel Puig remained an unsigned free agent until the Braves picked him up. This represents a lifeline to Puig’s career, one that he will hopefully grasp with full enthusiasm and effort.
Off-the-field considerations aside, Puig’s availability at this time is a gift to the team. With star first baseman Freddie Freeman’s availability an open question after contracting the COVID-19 virus and outfielder Nick Markakis’s decision to sit out the season, the Braves were left with a line-up with severe vulnerability against right-handed pitching. This is particularly an issue considering the revised 60-game schedule for this season featuring primarily opponents from the NL East. Of all of the projected starting rotations from NL East teams, the only left-handed starters are the Mets’ Steven Matz, the Nationals’ Patrick Corbin, and the Marlins’ Caleb Smith.
Even with diminished production over the last three seasons, Puig has been exceptionally good against right-handed pitching with a .361 wOBA against righties since 2017. Of the current Braves, only Freddie Freeman’s .400 and Ronald Acuña’s .371 marks are better.
Defensively, Puig is approximately a league-average fielder according to Statcast and most other advanced defensive metrics. His major league experience is primarily as a right fielder, a position that the Braves seem intent on having Acuña play. With the DH available this season, Puig may see some time there.
There is no doubt that Puig can help the team during this strange duck of a season, and an energized and engaged Puig could be a big difference-maker. Still only 29 years old, this could be a career crossroads for the slugger. If the opposite should occur — if Puig’s diminishing on-field production continues to accelerate or his off-the-field issues with teammates and coaches follow him to Atlanta, the team can simply release him without significant financial penalty.
In short this is a low-risk signing with a potential high reward.
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