WASHINGTON, DC – MAY 06: A detail shot of the Los Angeles Dodgers bat weight in the on-deck circle during the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB via Getty Images)
MLB via Getty Images
The Los Angeles Dodgers have hosted numerous star outfielders throughout their history, ranging from Hall of Famers and MVPs to All-Stars who briefly became household names.
However, few made as immediate an impact as Yasiel Puig, and hardly any generated as much buzz in such a short timeframe.
Puig’s Dodgers tenure was complex, yet his early years in Los Angeles were extraordinary. He transitioned from a highly touted prospect to an international sensation almost overnight, delivering one of the most memorable rookie stretches in recent MLB history before earning All-Star honors in his second season.
Now, over a decade after his Dodgers debut, the former slugger has delivered a remarkable campaign with an unexpected new team.
After leaving affiliated baseball in 2019 and spending several years in foreign leagues, Puig has become the new single-season home run record holder in the Canadian Baseball League.
His current team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, celebrated the milestone by announcing the record on social media Thursday.
The previous mark of 21 home runs, set by Sean Reilly in 2013, has been thoroughly surpassed by Puig, adding yet another surprising chapter to a career that once seemed destined for lasting stardom in Los Angeles.
“Puig, the 35-year-old who patrolled right field for the Los Angeles Dodgers on a $42 million contract a decade ago, was the marquee attraction at the Toronto Maple Leafs’ season opener in the semi-pro Canadian Baseball League on a cool spring Sunday afternoon,” The Athletic’s Dan Robson reported in May. “He launched into the league in 2013 with 44 hits in his first month — a Dodgers rookie record, and a big league debut second only to Joe DiMaggio. Puig was named an All-Star in his second season and participated in the Home Run Derby. In 2017, he was named defensive player of the year as the best right fielder in the major leagues.”
That early success made Puig one of baseball’s most recognizable young stars. He eventually left Los Angeles in a 2018 trade to the Cincinnati Reds and made his final major league appearance with Cleveland in 2019.
Puig’s life since departing the Dodgers has also been marked by significant off-field legal troubles.
He has faced civil sexual assault allegations, though he was never criminally charged in connection with them. He also became embroiled in a federal investigation into an illegal gambling operation and has received federal convictions for obstruction of justice and false statements.
Most recently, his sentencing for those convictions was delayed as a judge considers a motion for acquittal. In the meantime, he has continued playing baseball and hitting home runs for a new league and team this season.