Yasiel Puig's Antics Continue to Prove Why Dodgers Had to Get Rid of Him

Cincinnati Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig has had a rough go of it in 2019, as his average is now at a career-worst .238, his OPS+ stands below average at 88, and the Reds sit in last place in the NL Central. Furthermore, Puig has been crossing over from being a lovable eccentric with a bit of a temper to being a petulant child willing to throw hands at any moment.

That was perfectly encapsulated on Saturday night against the Chicago Cubs, when benches cleared after Puig took exception to Pedro Strop drilling him with a fastball.

With every 0-4 day and every brawl he starts -- his early-season melee against the Pirates shouldn't be forgotten -- the better the Dodgers look for dealing him.

Rather than put up with the high-maintenance Puig and weighing the pros and cons of signing him to a new deal, the Dodgers decided to give Joc Pederson everyday at-bats and let prized prospect Alex Verdugo take a starting spot.

With Pederson having hit 20 home runs this year and Verdugo hitting .311 with nine home runs, it looks like the Dodgers made the right call.

While Puig and his antics remain the biggest story related to the Reds at the moment, the Dodgers managed to free themselves from the Puig headache while upgrading in their outfield, all in one trade. Andrew Friedman's constant tinkering with LA's roster is simply genius.