After playing Yasiel Puig in just four of his team's last seven games, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly felt it was time to have a talk with the young outfielder.
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Mattingly had a chat with Puig prior to the Dodgers game against the Pirates Sunday night, which saw Los Angeles give up nine runs in the seventh inning and lose 13-6 as Pittsburgh completed a three-match sweep.
The Dodgers skipper told reporters afterward that he explained things to Puig and the two seemed to reach an understanding.
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"I just let him know that he's not just going to automatically be out of there against righties," Mattingly said, according to ESPN. "He's going to be in there, it's just occasional days off. I know a couple have come here recently as we want to mix Carl back in."
Mattingly, who revealed Puig will get the start Monday against Gio Gonzalez and the Nationals in L.A., said the talk went smoothly.
"He seemed to be OK with it," he said. "He didn't look like he was ready to hit me or anything."
Puig, 24, played in 148 games last season, but he is hitting .185 since July 1, so he has found himself on the bench more often recently.
After hitting .296 in the 2014 campaign and .319 through 104 games as a rookie in 2013, Puig owns a .246/.319/.417 slashline with eight homers and 29 RBI.
The Dodgers (62-49) are currently embattled in a race for the NL West crown with the defending World Series champion Giants (59-52) and Los Angeles enters Monday with a three-game lead atop the division.
L.A. is looking for its third straight NL West title and to eventually make it to the World Series for the first time since winning it all in 1988.
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