ANAHEIM -- Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is mired in likely the worst slump of his career, and on Wednesday was dropped to eighth in the batting order against the Angels in Anaheim.
It is the first time in Puig's career he is starting in the eighth spot, but that comes with the territory when you're hitting .232/.273/.373 with four home runs in 39 games.
This marks the seventh time in his last eight starts that Puig has batted seventh in the batting order or lower.
Puig has swung at 38.4 percent of pitches outside the strike zone this season, sixth-most in the National League, and his 16.1-percent overall swinging strike percentage is tops in the NL.
Since his last walk, which came on April 24, Puig is 14-for-79 (.177) with three home runs, two doubles (.316 slugging percentage) and 16 strikeouts.
Puig is in right field, while Trayce Thompson gets the call in left field, batting sixth. Carl Crawford is the designated hitter on Wednesday, batting ninth.
Adrian Gonzalez, dealing with back tightness since Monday, sits out, with Howie Kendrick starting a second straight night at first base and batting cleanup. Kendrick was 2-for-4 on Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium.
Manager Dave Roberts said Gonzalez felt better Wednesday than he did on Monday, when the back problems flared up, and that he hoped to have in back in the starting lineup on Thursday or Friday.
Mike Bolsinger makes his season debut on the mound for LA, while Nick Tropeano starts on the hill for LA of Anaheim.