Puig not on team flight to Denver

August 1st, 2016

LOS ANGELES -- , who did not make the Dodgers' flight to Denver on Monday, had been told by the club that he would either be traded or sent to the Minor Leagues if a replacement right fielder was acquired, his agent said.
An earlier report said Puig stormed out of Dodger Stadium on Monday before the team bus left for Los Angeles International Airport.
"I'm told he was not at the park," agent Adam Katz said in a statement. "The club informed me and the player understood clearly that they were making every effort to trade him and that if they were unable to come to terms with another club on a trade -- and successful in acquiring another outfielder -- that he likely would be demoted. My understanding is that transaction will happen tomorrow."
Monday's acquisition of from Oakland secured a replacement in right field for Puig, who has been nursing nagging injuries this year and is hitting .260 with seven homers and 34 RBIs.
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In addition, Puig's distracting behavior has been an issue to the front office and on-field staffs.
Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi, during a conference call to discuss Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline acquisitions, would not discuss Puig's status. As an alternative to being sent to Triple-A, Puig could go on the disabled list.
"We have an off-day today, and anything further we'll address and comment on tomorrow," Zaidi said.
Monday's Deadline came and went without a Puig trade, although there was no shortage of rumors that the Dodgers were eager to move him.
Puig, 25, has been a fan-favorite enigma since he was signed in 2012 after defecting from Cuba. He arrived in spectacular fashion in '13 with a five-tool arsenal, was runner-up for the National League Rookie of the Year Award and a key reason why the Dodgers returned to the postseason. But he was equally dogged by behavior issues, from speeding arrests to tardiness to insubordination.
Meanwhile, despite being voted into the All-Star starting lineup in 2014, his performance regressed every season. As a contributing factor, he's dealt with numerous injuries, many of them hamstring-related.
FOX Sports originally reported that Puig did not take the team flight to Denver, where the Dodgers open a three-game series against the Rockies on Tuesday night.