Former Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig found himself caught up in the middle of a brawl in Venezuela, and things didn’t end well for him. He was struck in the face in what looked to be a pretty hard hit.
Puig has been playing for Tiburones de La Guaira of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League. He has always been a player who throws himself into the mix of just about anything.
In 2019, he was suspended three games for his role in a brawl during a game between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates.
The former Dodgers outfielder has been trying to get back to the big leagues for a while now, but no offers have come through. However, earlier this offseason there were reports that some teams were looking into potentially signing him.
Puig hasn’t played in the big leagues since 2019, when he was with Cleveland. He was traded to Cleveland from the Reds and put up solid numbers.
He slashed .297/.377/.423 with an .800 OPS and 109 OPS+. But his power greatly diminished, hitting just two home runs over 49 games for Cleveland.
Just looking at these numbers, Puig should have been back in the league by now. However, some off-the-field issues have lingered around his status.
He was connected to an alleged sports gambling operation, pleading guilty to one count of obstruction of justice. He withdrew the charge soon after, but it has forced him to stay away from the big leagues. Since then, he has bounced around different international leagues, hoping for another chance.
He had a deal in place to play for the Atlanta Braves in 2020, but he tested positive for COVID-19, canceling the deal.
Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
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