Yasiel Puig, a Cuban defector and right fielder once hailed as Major League Baseball’s next premiere superstar with the Los Angeles Dodgers, is now exiled to the minor leagues. His fall from grace lands him in Oklahoma City for an indefinite stay.
Puig’s off-the-charts statistical debut and flamboyant, sometimes volatile personality made him an instant star his first two years in Los Angeles. The last few seasons, however, team management found his behavior harder to tolerate as injuries and subpar play have made him a replaceable player.
Replacement is exactly what happened. Los Angeles traded him for Oakland outfielder Josh Reddick and announced Puig’s demotion to its Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers.
Minor League Baseball and road games in Des Moines, Iowa, are probably not what the player imagined for himself after a phenomenal rookie season and all-star appearance in 2014, but Puig at least makes efforts to look like he’s at peace with it. Shortly after joining Oklahoma City, the outfielder posted a series of Snapchat videos of him and his teammates on a party bus as they traveled to face the Iowa Cubs. The clips showed alcohol, group sing-alongs and plenty of exuberance.
Just how long Puig’s stay in Oklahoma City will be is uncertain. The longer, the better as far as local fans are concerned. Bonus points for anyone who can make it into his ongoing Snapchat story.
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