Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Sat 3/16/24 11:40 PM

Puig has signed a contract with El Aguila de Veracruz of the Mexican League, Francys Romero of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
It's a return to where Puig played in 2021. The 33-year-old last appeared in the major leagues in 2019 and has since played in the Dominican Winter League, Venezuelan Winter League and Korea Baseball Organization, in addition to the Mexican League.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Wed 12/8/21 10:05 PM

Puig agreed to a one-year, $1 million contract with the Kiwoom Heroes of the Korea Baseball Organization, Jee-ho Yoo of the Yonhap News Agency reports.
EDGE Analysis
Puig spent the 2021 season with Veracruz of the Mexican League and hit .312/.409/.517 across 247 plate appearances. He'll now head to Korea on a maximum deal for a first-year player in the league. It remains to be seen whether Puig will ever return to an MLB club, though it's clear he plans to continue to play at a professional level.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Tue 4/20/21 4:53 PM

Puig signed with Veracruz of the Mexican League on Tuesday, Enrique Rojas of ESPN Deportes reports.
EDGE Analysis
Puig failed to find a major-league club last season, though he did appear close to a deal with Atlanta at one point before a positive COVID-10 test scrapped those plans. He again failed to find a deal this offseason, so he'll head to Mexico instead. He's only 30 years old, so it's certainly possible he finds his way back to the MLB level eventually, but there's no particular reason to believe that will happen anytime soon.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Sun 12/6/20 1:34 PM

Puig agreed to a contract Saturday with Dominican Winter League club Tores del Este, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports.
EDGE Analysis
Puig ended up sitting out the entire 2020 campaign after the contract he agreed to with the Braves in late July fell through following his positive test for COVID-19. The outfielder looks to be healthy again now that he's competing in the Dominican Republic, where he'll presumably be aiming to showcase himself to MLB teams this winter. The 29-year-old slashed .267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs and 19 stolen bases in his last full season in the majors in 2019.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Fri 7/17/20 3:14 PM

Puig's reported deal with the Braves has been scrapped after the outfielder tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
The reported contract between the two sides had apparently never been formally agreed to and is now off the table, as Puig evidently won't be ready to play early enough for Atlanta to be interested. There's certainly still a chance he signs somewhere this season, though the fact that he hasn't been on a field even in a practice capacity since last September means it may take some time for him to get in game shape once he eventually clears league protocols by testing negative for the virus twice. More opportunities for the likes of Austin Riley, Adam Duvall and Johan Camargo should be available in Atlanta now that Puig isn't joining the team.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Fri 7/17/20 3:04 PM

Puig revealed on his personal Twitter page Friday that he'd tested positive for COVID-19.
EDGE Analysis
Puig is reportedly asymptomatic, but he'll nevertheless be forced to quarantine until passing MLB protocols, which include testing negative for the virus twice. The outfielder was already going to have a tough time getting ready by Opening Day, as he only just signed a contract with the Braves on Tuesday, but now he'll almost certainly miss time to start the year. Even when he clears league protocols, the fact that he's had zero practice time since last September is sure to have an effect early in the year. His absence likely means more at-bats or Adam Duvall, though Johan Camargo could also benefit if Austin Riley spends more time in left field.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Tue 7/14/20 3:53 PM

Puig signed with the Braves on Tuesday, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
The terms of the deal have not yet been made public. It's also unclear whether Puig will be ready to go at the start of the season, as Opening Day is just over a week away and he'll likely have to sit out a few more days to go through intake testing protocols. Once he eventually arrives, he'll be a key piece for a strong Braves lineup, taking the spot that had been reserved for Nick Markakis, who elected to opt out of the season.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Sat 7/11/20 7:22 PM

Puig has drawn interest from the Orioles, who have made at least one contract offer, Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports.
EDGE Analysis
The Orioles do have holes in the outfield (and in most other areas of their roster), especially with Trey Mancini out for the year while undergoing treatment for colon cancer. Baltimore is a natural fit for Puig in that sense, though it's not entirely clear why they'd want to add a significant amount to their payroll in a season in which they aren't expected to be close to competitive. If Puig does wind up with the Orioles, he'll get to play half his games in one of the more hitter-friendly parks in the league, but he may not be ready to go by Opening Day, which is less than two weeks away.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Wed 6/24/20 10:09 AM

The Giants are among the teams expected to be in the mix to sign Puig when MLB lifts its freeze on transactions Friday, Jim Bowden of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Rumors previously surfaced in April that the outfielder-needy Giants were interested in bringing Puig aboard, so it's no surprise the team intends to reach out to the 29-year-old now that MLB training camps are scheduled to reopen next week. Puig may not be in line for a multi-year contract after struggling to find a team willing to meet his asking price in free agency over the winter, but MLB's decision to implement a universal designated hitter for at least 2020 should help his case for landing a lucrative one-year deal. Between stops with the Reds and Indians in 2019, Puig slashed .267/.327/.458 with 24 home runs and 19 stolen bases.

Yasiel Puig
RF FA
Fri 4/17/20 12:36 PM

Puig says he has contract offers on the table but they aren't in his price range, Jorge Ebro of el Nuevo Herald reports.
EDGE Analysis
He said in Spanish that he knows he "will have a team when (the pandemic) is over." Puig, who is from Cuba, also noted that he asked for a little more money from the Marlins because of the added pressure he would have faced playing in front of Cuban fans. He did not address the notion of playing in a foreign league.