Yasiel Puig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yasiel Puig |
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Puig with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016
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| Kiwoom Heroes | |||
| Right fielder | |||
| Born: December 7, 1990 Cienfuegos, Cuba |
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| Professional debut | |||
| MLB: June 3, 2013, for the Los Angeles Dodgers | |||
| KBO: April 2, 2022, for the Kiwoom Heroes | |||
| MLB statistics (through 2019 season) |
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| Batting average | .277 | ||
| Home runs | 132 | ||
| Runs batted in | 415 | ||
| KBO statistics (through 2022 season) |
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| Batting average | .277 | ||
| Home runs | 21 | ||
| Runs batted in | 73 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Yasiel Puig Valdés (born December 7, 1990) is a professional baseball player from Cuba. He plays as a right fielder for the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO League. Puig has also played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds, and Cleveland Indians.
He has also played baseball in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. His famous nickname is "The Wild Horse". This name was given to him by Vin Scully, a longtime Dodgers announcer. Puig won a bronze medal with the Cuba national baseball team in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship. He left Cuba in 2012 to play baseball in the United States. He then signed a big contract with the Dodgers. Puig made his MLB debut on June 3, 2013. In 2013, he hit .319 with 19 home runs in 104 games. Baseball America chose him for their "All-Rookie team."
The Dodgers traded Puig to the Reds before the 2019 season. Later that year, the Reds traded him to the Indians. Puig did not play for an MLB team in 2020. In 2021, he played for El Águila de Veracruz in the Mexican League. He joined the Kiwoom Heroes for the 2022 season.
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Early Life and Cuban Baseball
Yasiel Puig was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba. He was born on December 7, 1990. He is the older of two children. His parents are Omar Puig and Maritza Valdés. He has a sister named Yaima. His father worked as an engineer in a sugar cane factory. Puig started playing baseball when he was 9 years old.
Playing for Cuba
Puig played for the Cuba national baseball team. They won a bronze medal in the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship. After that, he played for the Cienfuegos team. This was in the Cuban National Series during the 2008–09 season. In his first season, he had a batting average of .276. He also hit five home runs.
Puig had a great season in 2009–10. His batting average was .330. He hit 17 home runs and had 47 runs batted in (RBIs). He also scored 78 runs. Puig also played for the Cuban national team in the 2011 World Port Tournament. He tried to leave Cuba during this time. After this attempt, he was not allowed to play in the 2011–12 seasons.
Journey to Major League Baseball
Starting in 2009, Puig tried many times to leave Cuba. He wanted to become a legal resident of Mexico. This would allow him to sign a contract in Major League Baseball. After several attempts, he successfully made his way to Mexico. This journey was important for him to pursue his dream of playing professional baseball in the United States.
Professional Baseball Career
Minor Leagues
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Yasiel Puig on June 28, 2012. It was a seven-year deal worth $42 million. The Dodgers put him on their 40-man roster. He was sent to their Arizona Rookie League team. In nine games, he hit .400 with four home runs and 11 RBIs.
On August 13, 2012, the Dodgers moved Puig up. He went to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. This team is in the Class A-Advanced California League. He played 14 games with the Quakes and hit .327. After the Quakes' season, he was supposed to play in the Arizona Fall League. However, he needed surgery on his right elbow for an infection. This kept him out for several months. After he recovered, he played winter baseball in Puerto Rico. This helped him stay on track with his training.
Puig had a very strong spring training with the Dodgers in 2013. He hit .526 in games before the regular season. Some people thought he might start the season with the Dodgers. But he was sent to the Chattanooga Lookouts. This team is in the Class AA Southern League. He hit .313 with eight home runs and 37 RBIs for the Lookouts in 40 games.
Los Angeles Dodgers (2013–2018)
2013 Season
On June 2, 2013, the Dodgers called Puig up to the main team. He made his debut on June 3. In his first time at bat, he hit a single. He ended the game with two hits in four tries. He also showed his strong arm by helping with a double play.
In his second game, Puig hit two home runs. He also hit a double and brought in five runs. He was the first Dodger to hit two home runs in one of his first two games. In his fourth game, on June 6, 2013, he hit a grand slam. Puig was named the National League Player of the Week. This was for the week of June 3–9.
Puig had 27 hits in his first 15 games. This tied him for second-most all-time. He also became the first player in history to have at least 34 hits and seven home runs in his first 20 games. He set new Dodger records for hits and total bases in his first 20 games. Puig finished June with 44 hits. This broke a team record for most hits by a rookie in one month. He won both the National League Rookie of the Month Award and the National League Player of the Month Award. He was the first player to win both in their first month in the Majors.
Even though he started in June, Puig got many votes for the 2013 All-Star Game. He finished second in the fan vote. In 2013, Puig hit .319 in 104 games. He had 19 home runs and 42 RBIs. He was chosen for Baseball America's "All-Rookie team." He finished second for the National League Rookie of the Year award.
2014 Season
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On May 17, 2014, Puig had a record-breaking streak. He had at least one extra-base hit and one RBI in eight games in a row. This was a new record for the Dodgers. He was named the NL Player of the Week for that week. He also won the National League Player of the Month for May. He hit .398 with eight home runs and 25 RBIs that month. Puig was voted to start in the 2014 All-Star Game. He was the youngest Dodger starter for an All-Star game since 1982. Puig also took part in the Home Run Derby.
On July 25, 2014, Puig had a great game. He got four hits, including a career-high four extra-base hits. He tied the Dodgers' record with three triples in one game. Puig finished the 2014 regular season with 16 home runs and 69 RBIs. His batting average was .296. In the playoffs, he struggled at first. But then he hit a triple and scored a run.
2015 Season
Puig started the 2015 season with problems in his left hamstring. This caused him to miss several games. On April 26, he was put on the disabled list for the first time. He returned to the Dodgers on June 6. On August 18, Puig hurt his right hamstring. He was placed on the disabled list again. He came back on October 3 and played in the last two games of the season. He played in 79 games total. He hit .255 with 11 home runs, 38 RBIs, and three stolen bases. These were all career lows for him.
2016 Season
In 2016, Puig again had hamstring problems. This limited his playing time and how well he played. He hit .260 with seven home runs in 81 games by the end of July. On August 2, he was sent to the AAA Oklahoma City Dodgers. This happened when the Dodgers got Josh Reddick in a trade. Reddick took over the right field position. Puig rejoined the team in September. He finished the season hitting .263 with 11 home runs and 45 RBIs in 104 games. In 10 playoff games, he hit .211.
2017 Season
On June 13, 2017, Puig made a gesture to fans after hitting a home run. He was suspended for one game, but the suspension was later removed. Instead, he made a donation to charity. For the season, he hit .263 with a career-high 28 home runs and 74 RBIs. He also stole 15 bases. He won the Wilson Defensive Player of the Year Award for his excellent play in right field. He played very well at the start of the playoffs. He hit .455 in the first round and .389 with a home run in the second round. In the 2017 World Series, he only had four hits in 27 times at bat. The Dodgers lost the series in seven games. Two of his four hits were home runs.
2018 Season
On February 7, 2018, Puig's sports agency ended their relationship with him. He did not have an agent until April 2018. On April 28, Puig left a game because of hip soreness. This injury happened when he made a catch against the outfield wall. He was placed on the 10-day disabled list. On August 11, Puig hit his 100th career home run. On August 14, Puig had an argument with another player, Nick Hundley. After hitting a foul ball, Puig threw his bat up in frustration. Hundley did not like this, and they exchanged words. Puig then pushed Hundley, which led to a fight between the teams. Both players were ejected from the game. In 2018, he had the lowest fielding percentage among all Major League right fielders. In the playoffs, Puig hit a 3-run home run in Game 7 of the NLCS. He also hit a 3-run home run in Game 4 of the 2018 World Series.
Cincinnati Reds (2019)
On December 21, 2018, the Dodgers traded Puig to the Cincinnati Reds. Other players and cash were also part of the trade. Puig was involved in fights between the Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2019. The first fight led to him being ejected and suspended for two games. The second fight happened on July 30, just before news broke that he was going to be traded.
Cleveland Indians (2019)
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Puig's trade to the Cleveland Indians became official on July 31, 2019. This was a three-team trade involving the Reds, Indians, and Padres. On August 1, 2019, Puig was suspended for three games. This was because of his role in the fight against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He served his suspension starting on August 12, 2019.
Later Career (2020–Present)
On July 17, 2020, Puig tested positive for COVID-19. This stopped a deal he was expected to sign with the Atlanta Braves. During the 2020–2021 winter, he played for Toros del Este in the Dominican Republic. He returned there the next winter.
In 2021, Puig signed with El Águila de Veracruz in the Mexican League. In 62 games, he hit .312 with 10 home runs and 43 RBIs. He was named the Defensive Player of the Year after the season. On December 8, 2021, Puig signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Kiwoom Heroes in the KBO League (South Korea). In 126 games, he hit .277 with 21 home runs and 73 RBIs.
On March 16, 2024, Puig signed again with El Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League. In 64 games, he hit .314 with 18 home runs and 43 RBIs. On November 14, 2024, Puig announced he had signed a second contract with the Kiwoom Heroes for the 2025 season.
International Baseball
Puig played for the Cuba national under-18 baseball team. He helped them win the Bronze Medal at the 2008 World Junior Baseball Championship.
Personal Life
Yasiel Puig has four sons. On August 14, 2019, Puig became a citizen of the United States.
Helping Others
Puig started the Wild Horse Children's Foundation in 2016. The foundation's name comes from his nickname, "The Wild Horse." This foundation helps children and families in communities that need support. It aims to improve their lives through education, sports, and health programs.
On April 19, 2018, Puig's foundation worked with the City of San Fernando, California. They helped fix up Pioneer Park. They also renovated an old house on the park site.
In May 2019, Puig met a young fan in New York City. The fan was about to have his 40th surgery for a condition called hydrocephalus. The next month, Puig invited the fan and his family to a Reds game in Cincinnati.
In August 2019, Puig took a helicopter trip to Camp Simcha. This is a special camp for kids with cancer. He spent four hours with the children there. Puig later said it was "one of the best days of my life." He called the children his "inspiration."
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