Yasiel Puig Trade Rumors: Latest News and Speculation on Dodgers OF

Yasiel Puig's future with the Los Angeles Dodgers was in question even though the team didn't deal him before the Aug. 1 non-waiver trade deadline. The Dodgers demoted him to the minor leagues Aug. 2 as they contemplate his status.

Despite receiving interest from a different team, Puig remained with the Dodgers organization past the waiver trade deadline. 

Continue for updates.

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Brewers Reportedly Were Team That Claimed Puig

Friday, Sept. 2

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported the Milwaukee Brewers claimed Puig and made an attempt to complete a deal before the deadline. Rosenthal reported the deadline to deal Puig was Thursday. 

Jon Heyman of Today's Knuckleball reported Wednesday that Puig "will remain with the Dodgers." Heyman added if Puig wouldn't have been playoff-eligible if he were dealt Thursday, making the trade highly unlikely. 

Citing a source, Rosenthal reported the Dodgers placed Puig on trade waivers Aug. 28. According to Rosenthal, a trade involving Puig is more likely to occur in the offseason, when Los Angeles can negotiate with all teams rather than just one.

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Roberts Comments on Dodgers' Plans for Puig

Saturday, Aug. 27

Manager Dave Roberts said the team hasn't decided whether it will add Puig when rosters expand in September, per Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

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Dodgers in No Rush to Part Ways with Puig

Thursday, Aug. 25

Heyman reported the Dodgers "have gauged interest in [Puig], but executives with interested teams say the Dodgers don’t appear desperate to trade Puig and in fact have rebuffed offers."

Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe reported Aug. 22 the Dodgers "are trying to give away Puig, but no luck." Cafardo noted Puig "is considered toxic at the moment, but it takes only one team to want him."

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Puig Demoted After Not Getting Traded

Tuesday, Aug. 2

The Dodgers announced Puig's demotion on Tuesday alongside other roster moves.

Rosenthal reported Monday that Puig was not on the Dodgers' team flight to Colorado and was told by team management before the trade deadline on Monday he would either be traded or demoted to the minors.

Puig's agent, Adam Katz, released a statement to Rosenthal regarding the outfielder's status:

"

I'm told he was not at the park. The club informed me and the player understood clearly that they were making every effort to trade him and that if they were unable to come to terms with another club on a trade—and successful in acquiring another outfielder—that he likely would be demoted. My understanding is that transaction will happen tomorrow.

"

Katz refuted Rosenthal's earlier report that stated Puig "stormed off" upon hearing the news.

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White Sox Reportedly Interested in Puig

Monday, Aug. 1

Buster Olney of ESPN reported the Chicago White Sox "want [Puig] if they make a deal with the Dodgers."

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Puig Comments on Trade Rumors

Sunday, July 31

"If they decide to trade me, then I'll have to go to another team and work hard there. I just came to this country to play baseball," Puig said via a translator when asked about recent rumors linking him to a possible trade, per Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times. "I would like to stay here. But I also understand this is a business. You never know where you are going to end up.”

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Puig Reportedly on Trade Block

Sunday, July 31

Heyman reported Sunday that "word is [the] Dodgers are still trying to move [Puig]."

Rosenthal, citing "major league sources," reported July 19 that the Dodgers are "at the very least" open to trading Puig. Rosenthal first reported July 9 that the Dodgers could be amenable to moving the 25-year-old.

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Walter Comments on Puig's Future

Friday, July 29

"I don't think we're moving him," Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter said, per Shaikin. "I don't think we want to. I still think he's got a lot of potential."

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Puig Has Struggled in LA After Rookie Year

Puig has failed to capture the magic of his 2013 rookie season, during which he finished with a slash line of .319/.391/.534 while mashing 19 home runs and 42 RBI in 104 games. After making the All-Star Game and leading all Dodgers offensive players in WAR (5.3) in 2014, per FanGraphs, Puig started to tail off in 2015.

He appeared in only 79 games last year, batting .255 with 11 home runs and 38 RBI. So far in 2016, Puig's regression has continued. In 303 plate appearances, he has seven homers, 34 RBI and a .260/.320/.386 slash line.

Puig is still capable of creating moments of magic, such as his impressive throw from right field to nail Colorado Rockies shortstop Trevor Story at third base in April:

However, those highlight-reel plays have become few and far between over the course of his four-year career.

On June 28, the Los Angeles Times' Andy McCullough reported MLB executives with whom he has spoken don't envision Puig ever topping his first year or possibly even his sophomore campaign, which limits his potential trade value.

Puig won't become a free agent until 2020, so the Dodgers aren't working against a tight deadline. They can choose to wait until next year to see whether his numbers improve, thus increasing his worth on the trade market.