Latest Yasiel Puig News | ӣ��Ƶ

Yasiel Puig crushes 2 home runs in Canadian Baseball League debut weeks before possible prison sentence

Mon, 11 May 2026 11:02:07 -0400

Turns out Yasiel Puig can still smash a baseball.

The former MLB All-Star made his debut Sunday for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Canadian Baseball League (CBL). And he looked an awful lot like the electric version of Puig that baseball fans remember from his Dodgers days.

Playing against the Kitchener Panthers at Christie Pits Park in Toronto, Puig went 2-for-2 with 2 home runs, 4 RBIs and 2 walks in the Maple Leafs’ 8-6 win.

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Not bad for a guy who could potentially be heading to prison in a couple weeks.

Puig’s baseball comeback is unfolding under a pretty massive legal cloud. Earlier this year, he was found guilty of obstruction of justice and making false statements to federal investigators tied to an illegal sports gambling operation.

The charges stem from a federal investigation into an illegal gambling ring in Southern California. According to reports, Puig allegedly placed hundreds of sports bets and racked up nearly $1 million in gambling losses that were never repaid.

He’s currently awaiting sentencing on May 26 and could face up to 15 years in prison, though many believe any actual sentence would likely be far less severe.

MLB CRACKS DOWN WITH NEW BETTING LIMIT AFTER CLEVELAND PITCHERS CHARGED IN GAMBLING SCHEME

Still, it puts a pretty big damper on his comeback tour.

For the CBL, signing Puig was a huge deal. Reports suggest it’s the largest contract in league history, and the former Dodgers star instantly became the biggest name in the league.

Of course, there’s a reason Puig still draws attention all these years later.

At his peak, he was one of the most exciting players in baseball. He burst onto the scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013 and immediately looked like a future superstar. Puig earned an All-Star nod in 2014, but he quickly fizzled out.

Puig spent seven seasons in MLB with the Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians. His last MLB appearance came in 2019, though he’s continued playing professionally overseas in Mexico and South Korea.

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Now, at 35 years old, Puig is trying to write one more baseball chapter.

And for at least one night in Toronto, it looked like vintage Yasiel Puig all over again.

Former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig joins a semi-pro baseball team while facing up to 15 years in prison

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:04:12 -0400

Imagine my surprise when I fired up the ol’ internet machine today to see that Yasiel Puig has signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

You remember him — billed as MLB’s next humongous superstar when the Los Angeles Dodgers first called him up in 2013, and then he just sort of faded into obscurity.

Yes, that Yasiel Puig. But no, not those Toronto Maple Leafs.

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The 35-year-old outfielder has signed with the Maple Leafs of the Canadian Baseball League, a semi-pro league based in Ontario. But the move comes at a particularly messy time in Puig’s life.

Just two months ago, Puig was found guilty of obstruction of justice and lying to federal investigators tied to an illegal sports gambling operation. He’s now facing up to 15 years in prison.

The case stems from a 2022 interview with investigators, where Puig denied details about his involvement in the gambling operation — including who he was betting with and how he handled his debts.

That came after he had already admitted to racking up more than $280,000 in losses while placing hundreds of bets on sports like tennis, football and basketball through a third party tied to the operation.

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So yeah, that’s a tough spot.

Puig hasn’t appeared in an MLB game since 2019, wrapping up a seven-year career that started with a bang and slowly fizzled out. He burst onto the scene with the Dodgers in 2013, hitting .319 with 19 home runs and finishing second in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

At his peak, Puig was one of the most electric players in baseball — big power, a rocket arm and a diva attitude. He made the All-Star team in 2014, bounced around a bit toward the end of his MLB run, and then eventually disappeared from the league altogether.

Now, I guess we’ll see if the guy’s still got it.

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The (baseball) Maple Leafs open their season on May 10. Puig is scheduled for sentencing on May 26.

In other words, this comeback story may be over before it even starts.

Yasiel Puig involved in brawl during Venezuelan winter league game, says he was trying to ‘keep everyone calm’

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 13:05:43 -0500

Puig last played in the MLB for the Guardians

Yasiel Puig's agent claims the former MLB star felt 'rushed' at probe federal agents

Thu, 17 Nov 2022 05:59:33 -0500

Former Major League Baseball outfielder Yasiel Puig did not have an attorney present during an interview with federal agents investigating an illegal gambling operation, his agent said in a statement released on Tuesday.

The agent went on to note that Puig did not have a criminal attorney present because he felt compromised due to his mental health issues.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 31-year-old is expected to plead guilty to lying at that interview.

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"The government’s indictment arises out of a single interview he gave back in January via Zoom," said Puig's agent, Lisette Carnet of Leona Sports Agency.

Court documents revealed that Puig has agreed to plead guilty to one count of making false statements and pay of fine of no less than $55,000. The Cuban-born baseball player could face up to five years in federal prison.

"He came to the interview feeling rushed, unprepared, without criminal counsel with him, and also lacked his own interpreter. Given his history growing up in authoritarian Cuba, government interviews are triggering and only worsen his ADHD symptoms and other mental health struggles, for which he is in treatment. He would have benefited from this care at the time of the interview," Carnet said.

Carnet mentioned that Puig's lawyer, Keri Axel, has also clarified that under the sentencing guidelines, he is eligible for probation.

"Yasiel Puig has not been charged with illegal gambling, was not a member of a gambling ring, nor did he bet on baseball. He has not been indicted for gambling of any kind on any sport whatsoever nor for any involvement with any illegal gambling.

"The absolute ‘only conduct at issue is what he said or did not say during an interview’ conducted by IRS and HSI Officials, as described in a statement released by his attorney. Yasiel Puig was not the target of the government’s investigation; he was asked by the government to be a witness against the gambling organizers and others," Carnet said.

Puig spent the majority of his big league career with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was named to the All-Star team in 2014.

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He went on to play for Cincinnati and Cleveland in 2019 before becoming a free agent. Puig also spent some time playing in the Mexican League. Last year he signed a one-year, $1 million contact with South Korea’s Kiwoom Heroes.

Carnet said Puig's legal trouble does not prevent him from playing in the major leagues or abroad "per organization regulations."

In an August plea agreement, Puig acknowledged that in 2019 he created more than $280,000 in losses while wagering on games in various sports through a third party who worked for an illegal gambling operation run by Wayne Nix.

Nix played baseball in the minor league system.

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Puig placed around 900 bets through Nix-controlled betting websites and through an associated of Nix, authorities said.

In April, Nix pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an illegal sports gambling business and filing a false tax return.

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Current and former professional athletes were clients or employees in Nix's operation, prosecutors said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Ex-MLB star Yasiel Puig agrees to plead guilty for lying to feds about involvement in illegal gambling op

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 20:11:44 -0500

Former Los Angeles Dodgers star Yasiel Puig agreed to plea guilty to a federal charge of lying to federal law enforcement officials about sports bets he played with an illegal gambling operation, the Justice Department said Monday, citing recently unsealed court documents.

Puig, 31, agreed to plead guilty to one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum of five years in federal prison. He also agreed to pay a $55,000 fine and will appear in court Tuesday.

The Justice Department said Puig started placing sports bets through a third party in May 2019. The third party was identified in court documents "Agent 1." The mysterious "Agent 1" worked on behalf of Wayne Joseph Nix, of Newport Coast, California, who ran the illegal gambling operation officials said.

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Puig would call and send texts to "Agent 1" with wagers on games and the go-between would then submit the bets to Nix’s business. Puig owed the business $282,900 for losses, officials said. "Agent 1" and another person identified as "Individual B" directed Puig to write a check or make a wire transfer payable to a Nix gambling client, identified as "Individual A." The business owed "Individual A" at least $200,000 in gambling winnings, officials said.

"On June 25, 2019, Puig withdrew $200,000 from a Bank of America branch in Glendale then purchased two cashiers’ checks for $100,000 each that were made payable to Individual A," the Justice Department said in the news release. "Puig did not immediately send the checks due to a dispute over the balance and access to Nix-controlled websites used to place sports bets. Nix refused to allow Puig access to the betting websites until Puig’s gambling debt was paid.

"After Puig paid the $200,000, Nix provided Puig direct access to the betting websites. From July 4, 2019 to September 29, 2019, Puig placed 899 additional bets on tennis, football and basketball games through the websites."

PETE ROSE ONCE AGAIN ASKS FOR HALL OF FAME CONSIDERATION IN LETTER TO MLB

In 2019, Puig played for the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians. On June 25, the Reds played the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim and by Sept. 29, Puig’s season was over. The Guardians were in D.C. playing the Washington Nationals.

Major League Baseball didn’t immediately respond to ӣ��Ƶ Digital’s request for comment.

Federal investigators interviewed Puig in January 2022. Officials said he falsely stated he only new "Agent 1" from baseball and that he never talked about gambling with him. He also said he didn’t know the person who told him to send the $200,000 in cashiers’ checks to "Individual A."

Officials said Puig sent "Individual B" an audio message via WhatsApp in March 2022 sying he lied to federal agents during their interview.

"Under our system of justice, no one is above the law," U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada of the Central District of California, said in a news release. "The integrity of our nation’s criminal justice system depends on people telling the truth, and those who fail to abide by this simple principal must face consequences."

IRS Criminal Investigation Los Angeles Field Office Special Agent in Charge Tyler Hatcher added: "When given the opportunity to be truthful about his involvement with Nix’s Gambling businesses, Mr. Puig chose not to. Mr. Puig’s lies hindered the legal and procedural tasks of the investigators and prosecutors."

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Puig was playing baseball in South Korea. He joined the Dodgers from Cuba in 2012 and was an All-Star with them in 2014.

Free agent OF Yasiel Puig, Braves reach 1-yr deal

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 17:57:37 -0400

Free-agent outfielder Yasiel Puig and the Atlanta Braves have agreed to a one-year deal, a person with knowledge of the deal said Tuesday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the agreement is not official until Puig passes a physical.

The agreement helps the Braves address a depth problem in their outfield.

Puig hit a combined .267 with 24 homers and 84 RBIs for Cincinnati and Cleveland in 2019. He also stole 19 bases.

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The 29-year-old Puig was the last big-name free agent from the offseason who had not signed with a team.

Puig, from Cuba, made his major league debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2013. He hit .263 with a career-high 28 homers for the Dodgers in 2017 and added 23 homers in 125 games in 2018.

The NL East champion Braves were facing a depth problem in their outfield even after signing Marcell Ozuna to a one-year, $18 million deal in the offseason.

Veteran Nick Markakis opted out of the season before summer camp. Ozuna or Adam Duvall could be needed as the designated hitter in the shortened 60-game season.

The team's shortage of outfielders was highlighted when rookie Cristian Pache jammed his right ankle in Monday night's intrasquad game and was not available on Tuesday.

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“We’re thin a little bit,” manager Brian Snitker said Tuesday. “We started this thing feeling really good about the depth and we’ve used all of it already as I think a lot of teams have. We’re stretched a little bit.”

If Ozuna is the primary designated hitter, Puig could join Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ender Inciarte in a starting outfield.

Duvall, who has been most productive against left-handers, and Markakis may have split time before Markakis opted out. Puig, who has a .285 career average against right-handers, will be expected to replace the production that had been expected from Markakis.

Latest Yasiel Puig News | ӣ����Ƶ

Yasiel Puig crushes 2 home runs in Canadian Baseball League debut weeks before possible prison sentence

Former Dodgers star Yasiel Puig joins a semi-pro baseball team while facing up to 15 years in prison

Yasiel Puig involved in brawl during Venezuelan winter league game, says he was trying to ‘keep everyone calm’

Yasiel Puig's agent claims the former MLB star felt 'rushed' at probe federal agents

Ex-MLB star Yasiel Puig agrees to plead guilty for lying to feds about involvement in illegal gambling op

Free agent OF Yasiel Puig, Braves reach 1-yr deal

Latest Yasiel Puig News | ӣ��Ƶ