The Los Angeles Dodgers struggled mightily at the beginning of the 2018 season. A big factor in their early slump was their lackluster offense. Many Dodgers position players expected to contribute with their bats got off to a slow start, including Yasiel Puig.
Over his first 24 games, Puig had a .193 batting average with a .500 on-base plus slugging percentage. Things got worse when Puig wound up on the disabled list with a bruised hip.
However, that DL trip may have been the best thing for Puig. Since his return from injury, Puig looks much more like the resurgent 2017 spark plug in the Dodgers’ lineup than the player that struggled on and off the field in previous seasons.