Yasiel Puig’s troublesome hamstring barked again on May 31 when he was scratched from the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup in the second of a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Puig didn’t appear in that evening’s game, and was relegated to pinch-hit duty over the next two days. Despite his not being in the lineup, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts voiced optimism Puig would avoid the disabled list.
That changed once the Dodgers returned for the start of a six-game homestand on June 3 as Puig was placed on the 15-day DL due to a strained left hamstring, and Scott Van Slyke was activated.
Puig began a rehab assignment with High-A Rancho Cucamonga on Monday, batting third, starting in right field and playing the scheduled five innings.
He went 1-for-2 with a home run and walk, and outlined the plan for the remainder of the week, via SportSceneTV:
Assuming there aren’t any setbacks, Roberts previously indicated he expected Puig to rejoin the club on Monday. The 25-year-old outfielder is said to have used the time on the DL to improve the mechanics of his swing.
Puig is batting .237/.283/.360 with four doubles, two triples, five home runs and 20 RBIs over 53 games this season. Multiple hamstring injuries in 2015 limited him to a career-worst 79 games.