LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers have reached an agreement with Cuba outfielder Yasiel Puig. The agreement is for seven years and $42 million as expected to be signed by Friday.
Pending a physical exam, the deal would be the largest ever given to a Cuban defector, $6 million more than the four-year $36 million deal that Yoenis Céspedes received in February from the Oakland Athletics.
Puig is just 21 years old and hit .330,17 home runs, with 47 RBIs and 78 runs scored in 327 at-bats with the Cienfuegos Elefantes in the 2010-11 Cuban National Series. Puig had sought to escape from Cuba on several occasions in the past.
Puig is expected to contribute for the Dodgers at the major-league level this year, perhaps later this summer. The Dodgers were not the only team involved in the bidding process for Puig. The Chicago Cubs and the Chicago White Sox were also pursuing Puig.
