Yasiel Puig’s season is off to an inauspicious start.
The Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder was scratched from the team’s starting lineup for Friday’s home opener against the San Francisco Giants after he arrived late to the ballpark, MLB.com reported.
Replacing Puig in the outfield will be Matt Kemp, who makes his first start of the 2014 season after being activated off the 15-day disabled list earlier Friday. Kemp started the season on the DL after undergoing ankle and shoulder surgery during the offseason.
Puig burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, mashing 27 hits in his first 15 games after being promoted to the majors June 2. He ended the season with a .319 batting average with 19 home runs and 42 RBIs in just 104 games, finishing second in the National League Rookie of the Year voting behind Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.
The 23-year-old phenom generated some controversy earlier this season when he was seen leaving a Hollywood club despite allegedly recovering from an injury suffered in the Dodgers’ season-opening series against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Australia. Later that week, Puig called a meeting with his coaches and teammates to ask how he can improve this season.
We’re guessing that showing up late wasn’t on the agenda.
