Yasiel Puig's most memorable moments with the Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Yasiel Puig were never meant to last forever.

On Friday, the often dramatic, sometimes exhilarating and certainly never boring relationship officially came to an end when Puig was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in a huge seven-player deal.

The blockbuster trade is a likely precursor to something even bigger for the Dodgers. Whether that something bigger is signing Bryce Harper, trading for a top level pitcher like Corey Kluber, or something else entirely, is to be determined.

We can only focus on what we know, and what we know is that Yasiel Puig is going to leave behind a complicated and complex legacy in Los Angeles. For every success there always seemed to be one equally frustrating misstep that followed. He was never fully embraced, but his highs during his six seasons in a Dodgers uniform were truly memorable.

Here, we’ll take a look back at Puig’s most memorable moments with Los Angeles. From his remarkable rookie season, to his on-field run-ins and bat flips, to his signature postseason moment this past October. It’s a wild, wild ride.

Remarkable rookie season

We knew from the start that Yasiel Puig was going to demand our attention. The then 22-year-old exploded onto the scene in June of 2013 with a series of milestones and records that immediately highlighted his upside.

In his first week alone, Puig recorded a game-ending double play, hit a grand slam, became the first Dodgers player to have a multi-homer game among his first two MLB games, became the second player in MLB’s modern era to hit four home runs in his first five MLB games. Also, his 10 RBIs during that first five-game stretch tied the MLB record.

Puig was named Rookie of the Week in the National League and never looked back, finishing with a .319/.391/.534 batting line, 19 homers, 42 RBIs, and numerous highlights in the field and on the bases. Despite playing in only 104 games, Puig finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year balloting to José Fernández, and was named on several MVP ballots.

Feud with Giants and Madison Bumgarner

No single player added more fuel to the Dodgers-Giants rivalry over the last decade than Puig. Or perhaps we should say no Dodgers player, since Madison Bumgarner certainly did his share of pot-stirring.

The feud began in 2014 when Puig incurred Bumgarner’s wrath by admiring a home run for too long. It continued in 2016, when Bumgarner famously hollered “don’t look at me” at Puig on a harmless comebacker. That one led to the benches clearing, some sarcastic exchanges in the media and the feeling that a Dodgers-Giants brawl could break out at any moment.

The Giants feud was briefly reignited in 2018 when Puig was suspended two games after exchanging shoves with catcher Nick Hundley. While we can’t say any of those incidents were exclusively Puig’s fault, it’s safe to assume the Giants and their fans won’t miss seeing him 18 times a season.

Crazy good throws

Puig started his career with a great throw to complete a game-ending double play in his MLB debut. Since then he’s added better, crazier and even more awe-inspiring throws to his highlight reel nearly every week.

None better than this one from 2016.

Puig has recorded 49 outfield assists during his career. That number would be higher if opponents dared to test him more often.

Bat flips, licks and kisses from Turner Ward

Bat flipping has been a Yasiel Puig staple since the beginning. The exuberance those moments display has drawn the ire of opponents, and the appreciation of fans seeking more personality in the game. Sometimes they’ve even drawn frustration from his own team or laughter from his critics when a flipped bat only led to a single or an out.

Above all else. They’ve helped make Puig a bigger star.

As that star has grown, we’ve seen other sides of Puig’s eccentric and fun-loving personality. Who will forget the first time Yasiel Puig licked his bat, or got kisses from hitting coach Turner Ward. You never quite know what you’ll get from Puig, and that’s part of his charm.

Good news, too. Puig and Turner Ward will be reunited in Cincinnati.

The double bird incident

Usually the story is about Puig agitating an opponent.

On June 17, 2017 in Cleveland, a couple fans at Progressive Field that turned the table on Puig. After hitting a home run in the second inning, Puig gave two middle fingers to the reported hecklers.

Puig was given a one-game suspension for the incident.

Puig your friend

Puig was much more forgiving of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff. After it was reported that Goff, a lifelong Giants fan, once tweeted that Puig needed a fastball in the ribs, Puig reached out and a new friendship was born.

As was the #Puigyourfriend hashtag that has become the social media go-to for all of Puig’s endearing moments.

Signature moment

In the end, Puig’s rookie season might be the defining time of his Dodgers career. When it comes to a single moment though, it will be difficult to top his home run during Game 7 of the 2018 NLCS.

In an evenly played series, Puig’s blast was all that really separated the Dodgers from the Milwaukee Brewers. It was celebrated as such, with Puig launching into some of his usual bat-flipping and crotch-grabbing antics. The Brewers probably weren’t happy, but the joy Puig shared with his teammates overshadowed any discontent.

A World Series championship with the Dodgers wasn’t in the cards for Puig. But he undoubtedly made an impression that will never be forgotten by Dodgers’ fans.

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