June 5th, 2015 at 10:58 pm 
by Ron Cervenka Rehabbing Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig is playing at Dodger Stadium on Saturday evening – at least he would if it were up to him.
After playing in his second consecutive rehab game with the Advanced Single-A Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Friday night, the 24-year-old Cienfuegos, Cuba native said that he is healthy and ready to return to the Dodgers line-up.
“It’s not my decision but this is my last game here,” Puig said through an interpreter after the Quakes beat the defending Cal League champion Lancaster JetHawks by a score of 4-1 in front of 3,254 at The Hangar in Lancaster.
When asked if he felt any discomfort in his twice-injured left hamstring, Puig himself answered.
“Nope.”
After going 2 for 4 on Thursday night with a double, ground out, strike out and single, Puig drew a walk in his first at-bat on Friday night followed by a ground out in his second. He then absolutely crushed a solo home run to left-center field with two outs in his third at-bat in the fifth inning that traveled a Joc Pederson-like 454 feet. He then came out of the game after grounding into a force play in the top of the sixth inning.
Puig’ solo home run in the fifth inning of Friday’s rehab game with the Quakes traveled an estimated 454 feet. (Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
The fact that Puig drew a walk in his first at-bat in itself showed tremendous progress for the normally free-swinger. And although he grounded into a force out in his final at-bat of the night, he took two curve balls that were just outside – pitches that he would have chased last season.
“I didn’t swing at those two pitches so, yeah, I’m seeing the ball well,” Puig said when asked about that at-bat.
Although Puig made only one put out in right field, he made two powerful throws that prevented JetHawks runners from taking extra bases, which certainly proves that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with his arm.
Puig had no trouble running down a fly ball to short right field in the second inning of Friday’s game.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)
Although Puig starting against the Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on Saturday might be a bit of wishful thinking for the “Wild Horse,” I wouldn’t bet against him returning to the Dodgers line-up a lot sooner rather than later.
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[…] As for Puig, he essentially for a second time in as many stints with the Quakes proclaimed himself healthy, and his rehab assignment all but complete, according to Ron Cervenka of True Blue LA: […]
I think if Puig is in the dugout, available to play, Mattingly will put him in the lineup because it seems that Donnie likes to put different people in it, as often as possible.
At least that’s what I’d bet on.
It’s not that simple, Joe. For Puig to be in the dugout and available, a corresponding roster move has to be made. Since Chris Heisey can no longer be optioned back to Triple-A, he would have to be DFA’d or someone with options (like Scott Schebler) sent down, and sending Scott down would be sending the better outfielder down. However, Schebler needs to play every day right now. He will probably be Ethier’s replacement next season.
That’s what I meant by “available to play”