Minutes after delivering a walk-off, two-run double against the Chicago White Sox, Yasiel Puig delivered a prediction for the Los Angeles Dodgers and their fans. “I’ll see you in the World Series, guys,” he said, to cap off a postgame interview with Spectrum SportsNet LA’s Keilli Tennant.
Perhaps Puig was inspired by it being Lakers Night at Dodger Stadium. After all, the storied NBA franchise lays claim to 16 titles, second-most in the NBA. Or maybe it was the Dodgers’ aura of invincibility.
Puig’s hit gave the team their 10th — and ultimately last — walk-off win of the season. The Dodgers at that point improved to 51 games over .500 at 85-34, well on their way to a fifth consecutive National League West title.
Most surprisingly, Puig was playing a key role for a team that attempted to trade him at the non-waiver deadline in 2016, and demoted him to Triple-A Oklahoma City after not failed attempts to facilitate a deal.
Through the mid-August game against the White Sox, Puig was batting .253/.338/.465 with 14 doubles, a then-career high 21 home runs, and 57 RBI.
He’d been hitting eighth in the lineup for much of the season, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said at the time Puig was likely to hit sixth for the “foreseeable future.”
The change was indicative of the strides the 26-year-old had made at the plate, specifically with his discipline and approach. Puig finished the season batting .263/.346/.487 with 24 doubles, 28 home runs, 74 RBI and 64 walks.
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He set new career highs in home runs, RBI, and was three off matching a personal best in walks. The 2017 campaign was easily Puig’s best since a stellar debut as a rookie in 2013. All the while, he’s played the same dynamic, game-changing defense in right field.
Puig’s carried his success into the playoffs and helped lead the Dodgers to their first World Series berth since 1988. Heading into Game 1 against the Houston Astros, he’s 12-for-29 with two doubles, one triple, one home run and six RBI in eight postseason games, all starts.
It’s a far cry from last October, when Puig was hardly a platoon player with Josh Reddick in right field. Furthermore, Puig has exceeded against southpaws, which was a point of weakness during the regular season.
In 10 at-bats against left-handed pitching in the postseason, he’s tallied six hits, including a double and home run, and four RBI.
If not for Chris Taylor and Justin Turner each putting together an impressive display in the NL Championship Series, Puig likely would’ve come away with MVP honors for the series.
Once a castoff seemingly on borrowed time with the franchise, Puig is now instrumental to the Dodgers ending their 29-year World Series drought.
