Yasiel Puig is a man on a mission. It has been fours since the outfielder from Cienfuegos, Cuba has graced a big league diamond and he is determined to make his way back to the grand stage.
This winter he takes the first step of that journey to return to majors via the Dominican Winter League. Puig has opened the season with the Estrellas Orientales hitting a solid .292 with a homer and four runs batted in over the first 14 games of the campaign.
With a good showing in the toughest circuit in the Caribbean he could wake the interests of a Major League club or at worst an Asian squad. In his seven seasons in the big leagues the slugger hit .277 with 132 longballs, 415, 79 stolen bases and slashed .348/.475/.823 over that span.
Yasiel Puig 🇨🇺 with his 1st HR in the Dominican Winter League 2023 season.
The Wild Horse is back.
9 games, .333 AVG (9-27), 1 HR, 4 RBI, 3 BB, 4 SO. pic.twitter.com/yn5cK9USso
— Francys Romero (@francysromeroFR) November 1, 2023
This is is your second stint in the league, tell us about your return to the LIDOM.
I am very happy to be here with the Estrellas, we are trying to win every day and put the best product on the field possible. I want to help the team succeed in any way possible, our only desire here is to win a title.
Physically you look very good, is your main goal to return to MLB?
The main thing I am focused on is giving my best to the team on the field. I am grateful that I have been given the opportunity to be here and exhibit my talents. I want to help this team win a title. I want to contribute to this squad in anyway possible. My main goal right now is to win here.
Your last stop in MLB was in Cleveland. Tell us about your experiences in that great city?
It is a very beautiful city. I had the opportunity to be there with the guys like José Ramírez, with Franmil Reyes, also with Terry Francona, a very good manager who was very beloved by the fans. Now I have the opportunity to play with Robinson Canó, Miguel Sanó, Vidal Bruján and soon Fernando Tatis Jr will also join the team.
This team has only won three championships in their history, tell me about how they are building a winning culture here in the present.
We are always prepared to give our best day by day, game by game. We have lost the last few games but we are still fighting, we are still competitive. The other teams were just better than us in those games. We always come prepared to win and will continue prepare appropriately.
Does it give a great satisfaction to see a large group of Cuban players shining in the LIDOM.
First of all we have to thank all the teams, the fans and all Dominicans in general for allowing us Cubans and other Latinos to play in this league. I am very happy to see all the Cuban faces in LIDOM, facing top competition. It gives me great pride to face all these other Cuban players in the league. We always want to put on a good show on the field.