Dodgers: The Injury Plagued and Underachieving Outfield

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Apr 25, 2017; San Francisco, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig (66) takes a lead off first base against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

The Wild Horse:

To start the season, Yasiel Puig has been the most reliable outfielder on the Dodgers roster. His 4 home runs, 11 runs batted in and .419 OBP have been very promising. What may be even more promising, is his low strikeout rates that have plagued his career since his call up.

Puig’s hot start to the year had everyone imagining another 2013 season, and we all got caught up in the hype. Since then, Puig has considerably cooled off, but it doesn’t concern me. Puig has visibly increased his plate discipline by laying off the off-speed pitches that have fooled him in previous years. His new stance is something to attribute this too, or it may just be that Puig has finally put it all together.

Puig’s bat isn’t the only thing that keeps him in the lineup, however. Puig’s defensive skills have kept him on the field, and we all know how captivating he is in right field. If you’re not impressed with his glove work, then go ahead and watch him gun down Brandon Belt to save a run. You’d think teams would’ve learned by now, but Yasiel has a pretty good arm.

Is this the year Puig finally puts its together and shows his real talent? I sure hope so, and if he can keep it together for the entire year, then he will be a key part to the Dodgers playoff hopes. Whatever the answer is to that question, Puig has earned his playing time in right field.

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