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Atlanta Braves: Please Don’t Let Yasiel Puig be the Answer

By Jake Mastroianni

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 05: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hugs Charlie Culberson #16 of the Atlanta Braves as he is caught stealing during the sixth inning in Game Two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 05: Yasiel Puig #66 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hugs Charlie Culberson #16 of the Atlanta Braves as he is caught stealing during the sixth inning in Game Two of the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium on October 5, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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As names continue to be brought up in the Atlanta Braves search for an outfielder, Yasiel Puig is another candidate to consider.

After eliminating the Atlanta Braves in the 2018 MLB playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers could be potential trade partners.

The Dodgers are looking to move an outfielder or two to possibly free up some payroll for a big acquisition. There is a chance that Yasiel Puig, Matt Kemp, or Joc Pederson could be traded this offseason.

Obviously, it makes little sense for the Braves to bring Kemp back. And I don’t think Pederson makes a lot of sense for the Braves.

Puig is the only one of those three who could possibly work with the Braves. But could you imagine having to cheer for Puig?

If the Braves were to somehow sign Bryce Harper, I could get over it and cheer for him eventually. But is Puig worth that headache?

I would say no, but let’s look at what he could offer the Braves.

He just turned 28-years-old and is under team control for the next two seasons. Puig is likely to make around $10 million each of the next two seasons through arbitration.

His All-Star season in 2014 seems like a bit of an allusion at this point. That season he hit .296 with a .382 on-base percentage. Since then he’s hit .255, .263, .263, and .267. And his OBP hasn’t been higher than .346 in that time.

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At this point, I think we know what type of player Puig is, and that’s a .260 hitter with a .325 on-base percentage who can give you 20-plus home runs.

The right-handed hitter also hasn’t been playing full-time in Los Angeles. We could potentially see him get close to 30 homers if he got 600 at-bats.

But everyone knows the type of baggage that Puig brings to a team. While he is going to make some great players every now and then, in between those great plays are too many blunders.

And while we have Braves fans have opened up the new style of play in today’s game with the emergence of Ronald Acuna and Ozzie Albies, Puig still takes it to uncomfortable levels. And on top of that, he just doesn’t hustle sometimes, and that’s not something Acuna or Albies has a problem with.

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At the end of the day, if the Atlanta Braves could get Puig for the right price (no top tier prospects), then it could make sense. He’s still a very good player once you get past all the antics.

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