DENVER — Don Mattingly knows this won't be the last time he jogs out to right field to check on his rookie phenom.
The Los Angeles Dodgers manager was cautioned well in advance that Yasiel Puig has one speed — all out,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych].
MORE:
Puig's simply going to run into things, including fences.
Puig left LA's 10-8 victory Wednesday over the Colorado Rockies early with a bruised left hip after making a leaping catch in right field.
"He just plays like that,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych]," Mattingly said. "They kind of warned us coming up he plays like that and he's going to get hurt."
Puig reached up to rob Nolan Arenado of a hit in the fifth,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], only to smack his hip on a padded column below the scoreboard in right. Puig stayed down on the warning track for several minutes before jogging around the outfield and remaining in the game.
The next inning, Puig drove in a run with a sacrifice fly before being taken out when the Dodgers made a double switch. Puig, who was just named the NL player of the month,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], finished 1 for 3 with a double.
Team officials said a precautionary X-ray was negative and he's listed as day-to-day.
"I think he'll be able to play but we'll see," Mattingly said.
Puig has been sensational since being called up on June 3,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], hitting .440 this season with eight homers.
And when he fell to the dirt,[link widoczny dla zalogowanych], Dodger fans held their breath. Matt Kemp quickly rushed over to check on him, along with Ramirez and Adrian Gonzalez. Mattingly also jogged out to the outfield to see how Puig was feeling.
Earlier in the day, Puig won the National League player and rookie of the month awards. It was hardly even a contest after he hit .436 in June. His 44 hits were a Dodgers rookie record for a month.
"Now, it's getting to be where you kind of expect him to do something all the time," Mattingly said.

The post has been approved 0 times