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One year ago on this date the Dodgers signed Yasiel Puig. Now, the Cuban outfielder and budding star has two days left in his first major league month with several Dodgers rookie records in play.
Puig is hitting .424/.459/.696 with 39 hits, including seven home runs, in 24 major league games. Friday night was the first night since Puig's debut that he didn't end the night with a slugging percentage of at least .700. Here are the rookie records still within Puig's grasp:
Hits - 43 (Steve Sax, August 1982): Sax hit .312/.340/.413 with 11 stolen bases and 20 runs scored in one of the craziest months in Dodgers history. They went from 10 games behind the Braves on July 28 to a half-game up on Atlanta just 13 days later, thanks in part to beating Atlanta eight times during that stretch. Sax in those eight games hit .359 (14-for-39). The Dodgers would end up losing the division by a game to Joe Torre's Braves.
Puig needs four hits in two games to tie Sax, or five to beat him.
Home runs - 9 (James Loney, September 2007): Loney put on one of the great teaser months in Dodgers history. Loney hit 15 home runs in 96 games, and after 2007, in 486 major league plate appearances he was hitting .321/.372/.543. But after his nine-homer month to end 2007, Loney never again for the Dodgers hit nine home runs in any three-month stretch, and never hit more than 13 home runs in any season.
Puig needs two home runs in two games to tie Loney, or three to beat him.
Batting average - .443 (Bob Lillis, September 1958): The Dodgers' first year in Los Angeles was a tough one but the Pasadena High School and USC alum had quite a debut. After going 0-for-8 in three August games, Lillis was on fire in September, hitting .443/.478/.574 (27-for-61).
Puig has some work to do to pass Lillis:
| What Puig needs to beat .443 BA | |
|---|---|
| At-bats | Hits needed |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 4 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 7 | 5 |
| 8 | 6 |
| 9 | 6 |
| 10 | 7 |
On-base percentage - .479 (Billy Grabarkewitz, May 1970): The rookie infielder played mostly third base but also second. No matter where he played he was a whirlwind of production. In May he hit .394/.479/.564 with 24 RBI and 20 runs scored in 28 games. Grabarkewitz even walked 17 times.
Puig owns a .459 on-base percentage. Here's what he needs to beat Grabarkewitz:
| What Puig needs to beat .479 OBP | |
|---|---|
| Plate appearances | Times on base (H + BB + HBP) |
| 4 | 4 |
| 5 | 5 |
| 6 | 5 |
| 7 | 6 |
| 8 | 6 |
| 9 | 7 |
| 10 | 7 |
Slugging percentage - .780 (Loney, June 2007): Loney narrowly reached the cutoff of 50 plate appearances in his first month as a regular, with 53 PA. He was on fire, hitting .440 (22-for-50) with three home runs, four doubles and even two triples.
Puig is at .696 and would need the following to pass or catch Loney:
| What Puig needs to beat .780 SLG | |
|---|---|
| At-bats | Total bases needed |
| 3 | 11 |
| 4 | 11 |
| 5 | 12 |
| 6 | 13 |
| 7 | 14 |
| 8 | 14 (would tie) |
| 9 | 15 |
| 10 | 16 |
Remember, even if Puig doesn't hit these marks this weekend against the Phillies, he still has three more months left in his rookie season.
Game info
Time: 7:10 p.m.
TV: Prime Ticket