WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 06: A detail shot of the Los Angeles Dodgers bat weight in the on-deck circle during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images)
MLB via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers have seen no shortage of star players patrol the outfield over the years, from Hall of Famers and MVPs to All-Stars who briefly became some of the biggest names in baseball.
But few arrived with the immediate impact of Yasiel Puig and virtually none made as many headlines in as brief a time.
Puig’s Dodgers career was complicated, but his early years in Los Angeles were nothing short of spectacular. He went from a highly touted prospect to an international sensation almost overnight, producing one of the most memorable rookie stretches in recent MLB history before becoming an All-Star in his second season.
And now, more than a decade after his Dodgers debut, the former slugger has put together a remarkable season with an unexpected new team.
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After leaving affiliated baseball in 2019 and bouncing around foreign leagues for several years, Puig has established himself as the new single-season home run record holder in the Canadian Baseball League.
His newest team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, celebrated the accomplishment by announcing his record on social media on Thursday.
The record stood at 21 home runs, set by Sean Reilly in 2013. Puig has easily surpassed that mark, adding another surprising chapter to a career that once appeared destined for long-lasting stardom in Los Angeles.
“Puig, the 35-year-old who a decade ago patrolled right field for the Los Angeles Dodgers on a $42 million contract, was the marquee attraction at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ season opener in the semi-pro Canadian Baseball League on a cool spring Sunday afternoon,” The Athletic’s Dan Robson reported in May. “He launched into the league in 2013 with 44 hits in his first month — a Dodgers rookie record, and a big league debut second only to Joe DiMaggio. Puig was named an All-Star in his second season and participated in the Home Run Derby. In 2017, he was named defensive player of the year as the best right fielder in the major leagues.”
That early production made Puig one of baseball’s most recognizable young stars. He eventually left Los Angeles in a 2018 trade to the Cincinnati Reds and made his final major league appearance with Cleveland in 2019.
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Puig’s life since leaving the Dodgers has also included significant off-field legal issues.
He has faced civil sexual assault allegations, though he was never criminally charged in connection with those allegations. He also became involved in a federal investigation into an illegal gambling operation and has faced federal convictions related to obstruction of justice and false statements.
Most recently, he had his sentencing for those convictions delayed as a judge weighs a motion for acquittal. In the meantime, he has had the opportunity to continue playing baseball, and launching home runs, in a new league and with a new team this season.
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