Back in L.A., late-arriving Puig homers off Kershaw – ESPN

LOS ANGELES — Better slack than by no method.

Whereas Yasiel Puig arrived at Dodger Stadium too slack to derive his National League championship ring, he was factual in time to hit a two-hunch homer off Clayton Kershaw in his first at bat against his worn team.

Puig was greeted with cheers as he approached the plate, and Dodgers followers chanted his title as he ran the bases.

Puig — who arrived roughly 70 minutes slack to a info convention that was supposed to commence at 3 p.m. PT — mentioned, in Spanish before the game, that he “can also cry” if he heard Dodgers followers who supported him so ardently for the length of his six-twelve months stint in L.A. chant his title again before his first at-bat.

“I haven’t viewed the video games; I don’t know the method many individuals, what number of followers, get been coming here,” Puig mentioned of Dodger Stadium, whereas answering even handed one of loads of questions in Spanish. “But I’m obvious that after I performed here, there get been extra followers.”

Puig was a key igniter at Dodger Stadium from 2013 to 2018, a tumultuous time that started with exhilarating performances, phased into mediocrity and was accentuated by extremities. Puig energized the followers along with his skill and flamboyance but in overall terrified the participants of his organization along with his recklessness, which manifested itself both on and off the realm.

It was fitting, then, that Puig overlooked the ceremony to welcome him and the a host of worn Dodgers fascinated about the alternate that sent Puig to the Cincinnati Reds support to L.A. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was joined by owner Model Walter, CEO Stan Kasten and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman originate air the visiting clubhouse on Monday afternoon. Matt Kemp, Alex Wood and Kyle Farmer got their recent jewellery there and made runt discuss.

“Puig did now not originate it,” Roberts mentioned within the support of a wry smile.

Puig, Kemp, Wood and Farmer were all greeted with a tribute video before the game Monday evening.

Roberts, who has had stress-free exchanges with Puig for the reason that alternate, mentioned he anticipated the followers to produce Puig with a standing ovation.

“As smartly they must mute,” he mentioned. “This guy did a great deal of issues within the team and helped the Dodgers attain a great deal of apt issues.”

Puig entered the series with a .163/.200/.302 reduce line in 45 plate appearances for a Reds team that had won entirely five conditions in its first 14 video games. But Roberts, who activated Kershaw off the injured checklist to commence this sport, expects Puig’s easiest this week.

“When he’s motivated, incentivized, he’s a extraordinarily apt player,” Roberts mentioned. “Here’s as powerful motivation as can also be in front of him.”

Puig dazzled early on, posting a .305/.386/.502 reduce line whereas displaying elite defense and infectious vitality from 2013 to 2014, a stretch whereby he made the All-Vast title team and nearly won the NL Rookie of the twelve months award. From 2015 to 2016, Puig was restricted to 183 video games. From 2017 to 2018, his reduce line fell to .264/.337/.490.

For the length of a info convention that lasted roughly 15 minutes, Puig spoke glowingly about the comradery that exists internal the Reds’ clubhouse. He mentioned the young avid gamers who repeatedly check him questions and appear to take care of him. He talked about your complete meals they fragment collectively and the method in which in overall they textual mumble off the realm. He known as Joey Votto “the easiest guy I’ve ever met in my existence.” And he hinted, moderately strongly, about how he did now not get ample of that with the Dodgers.

“That is even handed one of many most inviting issues I truly get with my recent team,” Puig mentioned in Spanish. “This purple meat up, and to be by each a host of’s aspect daily and talking within the locker room, on the bus, on the flight, on the realm, off the realm, we repeatedly get apt communique, and that’s the reason what makes me now not feel as powerful nostalgia as you might well presumably also think I’d feel for the Dodgers.”

After 40 minutes passed by in a mute interview room sooner than Puig’s info convention, Reds vp of media relatives Eradicate Butcher approached the dais to mumble that Puig had but to come, drawing a giggle from the media contingent.

“I don’t know what else I’m capable of expose you folks,” Butcher mentioned. “I’m sorry.”

About half of an hour later, rapidly after Roberts finished his session within the dwelling dugout, Puig arrived within the interview room carrying a black T-shirt in honor of Jackie Robinson. He was told by a Spanish-speaking reporter that the media had been anticipating his arrival.

Puig slumped his shoulders.

“I used to be hoping they’d all leave.”