Yasiel Puig has had a rough season, and his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers could be coming to an end.
According to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, Los Angeles placed the 25-year-old outfielder on waivers Sunday, meaning he can be traded to whichever team claims him. However, Rosenthal also noted the talented player will more likely be traded in the offseason.
Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reported one general manager believes it's "likely" that a team will claim the outfielder.
Puig hit just .260 with seven home runs in 81 games at the major league level this season before being sent down to Triple-A at the start of August.
On the plus side, the outfielder has looked better with the Oklahoma City Dodgers of the Pacific Coast League. In 17 games entering Sunday, he had a .375 batting average and a 1.061 OPS as well as four home runs. Perhaps most importantly, he hasn't been an issue off the field.
"He’s playing well, and he’s assimilated very nicely with his teammates in Oklahoma City," Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts said, per Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times.
However, the team hasn't decided the next move for the Cuban star.
On Aug. 20, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported the Dodgers were "trying to give away Puig," who was "considered toxic at the moment."
Conversely, Heyman argued the organization isn't desperate to unload the player and instead has turned down offers.
If a team does claim Puig on waivers, the Dodgers will have an opportunity to negotiate a deal exclusively with that club or pull him back for the year. If he clears waivers, Los Angeles could trade him to anyone in the big leagues.
Despite his recent struggles, the outfielder was an All-Star in 2014 while batting .296 with 16 home runs and excellent defense. He also finished second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Jose Fernandez in 2013.
Puig is under contract through the 2019 season.
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