Dodgers hope Yasiel Puig can lose weight this offseason
The Los Angeles Dodgers and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman wants outfielder Yasiel Puig to shed weight this season, according toThe Los Angeles Times.
Friedman pointed to Puig’s weight as a possible cause of the hamstring issues that led to him going on the disabled list twice.
Puig is currently listed at 6'3", 255 pounds on the Dodgers roster. When he showed up for camp his rookie season, he weighed 235 pounds.
“He has continued to get bigger and stronger each year,” Friedman said, according to the Los Angeles Times. “It may not be the optimal size for him to play 150 games, 150-plus games.”
Puig hit .255 with 11 home runs and 38 RBIs over 79 games last season. The hope is that he can return to the form of his first season and a half in the majors, as he finished second in the National League rookie of the year voting in 2013, and was named an All-Star in 2014.
Friedman is also hoping that Puig can return to his original hitting mechanics. He didn’t say exactly how he wants Puig to adjust his swing, but believes that a blister on Puig’s left hand may have led to mechanical issues.
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