In his final at-bat during his final rehab game with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes last Friday night, Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig grounded into a 6-4 force play to end the top of the seventh inning against the defending Cal League champion Lancaster JetHawks. And even though the 24-year-old Cienfuegos, Cuba native homered in his previous at-bat, it was that final at-bat that should have MLB pitchers very concerned.

In that basically meaningless rehab at-bat, Puig took two consecutive curveballs that just missed outside, and I mean just missed. They were both great pitches and there is zero doubt whatsoever that last year’s Yasiel Puig would have chased both of those pitches, which would have resulted in a foul ball at best, but more likely in a strike out.

After that game I asked Puig specifically about those two pitches and he knew exactly which pitches I was talking about.

“I didn’t swing at those two pitches so, yeah, I’m seeing the ball well,” Puig said through an interpreter.

In his final at-bat during last Friday night’s final rehab game with the Quakes, Puig took back-to-back curveballs from JetHawks right-hander Adrian Houser that were just off the plate. There is no way that the 2014 version of Yasiel Puig would have laid off those pitches. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

Fast forward to Wednesday night’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Even though the now healthy Puig homered in the bottom of the second inning, a towering three-run shot to right-center field, it was his walk in the bottom of the ninth that should have MLB pitchers very concerned.

During that at-bat, Dbacks right-hander Daniel Hudson started Puig off with an 89-MPH slider that was off the plate, but here again, the 2014 Puig probably would have chased it. Hudson followed with a 96-MPH fastball that was up and in which undoubtedly would have sawed Puig’s bat in half had he swung at it – but he laid off the very tempting pitch. Hudson’s third pitch to Puig was an 85-MPH change-up that was way up and in for ball three. Even the 2014 Puig wouldn’t have chased this one.

On 3-0 and representing the winning run, Puig was taking all the way – something else that he wouldn’t have done last year – and took a 96-MPH cookie right down the middle that he probably would have hit to Pasadena had he swung at it. But with one out and being the potential winning run, taking 3-0 was absolutely the right thing to do. Hudson fifth and final pitch to Puig was another 96-MPH fastball but this one was extremely difficult to take as it was belt high but just inside for ball four. The 2014 Puig would have struck out but the 2015 Puig drew a walk on a night where he went 4 for 4 with a home run, a double and two singles.

It was, in every sense of the word, a great at-bat for Puig, and if he can continue to show this type of plate discipline – even in extremely crucial situations – he will begin seeing more and more good pitches to hit as pitchers realize that he will not chase pitches off the plate.

Be afraid, MLB pitchers. Be very afraid.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It would be criminal not to mention the absolutely outstanding over-the-wall catch made by Dodgers rookie sensation Joc Pederson to rob Dbacks right fielder Yasmany Tomas of what would have been a game-changing three-run home run in the top of the third inning.

Pederson’s catch was an absolute game-saver.
(Video capture courtesy of SportsNet LA – Click on image to view video)

Generally it’s Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen who gets credit for saving games, but on Wednesday night Jansen blew his first save of the season when he gave up a game-tying solo home run to Dbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock in the top of the ninth to knot the score at 6-6.

As it turned out, Jansen picked up the win (instead of saving the game for starter Brett Anderson) on Howie Kendrick’s walk-off single, scoring Puig from second base (because of the aforementioned great at-bat). Although it was Kendrick’s second game-winning hit in as many nights, the situation never would have played out this way had it not been for Pederson’s web gem  catch.