Dodgers News And Rumors: Puig’s Benching Proves Irrelevant
When it was all said and done, the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves eliminated from postseason contention by the St. Louis Cardinals for a second straight year. Questionable decisions by manager Don Mattingly, along with crucial mistakes by the players led to a disappointing postseason run for a team that had World Series aspirations.
Headlines were made on Tuesday morning when Mattingly surprised many by benching Yasiel Puig and starting Andre Ethier in center field. Ethier finished 0-for-2 with two walks and was picked off third base that ended a Dodgers rally in the sixth inning.
As for Puig, he sat on the bench up until the ninth inning when he pinch-ran for A.J. Ellis, who drew a one-out walk. Puig got as far as second base with two outs only for Carl Crawford to end the game on a groundout.
Puig pinch-running meant he didn’t an opportunity to bat in the pitcher’s spot in the ninth inning with that instead going to Justin Turner. Likely playing into that decision was Puig’s eight strikeouts in the series, which included seven straight and eight of his final nine at-bats.
Dodgers Nation News
Josh Beckett To Retire With Dodgers Eliminated From The Playoffs
NLDS Game 4 Recap: Kershaw Stumbles In Seventh, Dodgers Eliminated
Mattinly Benches Puig With Eye On ‘Best Chance To Win’
Dodgers Continue To Work With Puig On Staying Composed
Mattingly Not Expecting High Pitch Count For Kershaw
Dodgers News: Hyun-Jin Ryu Was Ready To Continue Pitching
Dodgers News: Matt Kemp Critical Of Strike Zone
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