Former MLB standout Yasiel Puig was released by the Kiwoom Heroes of the KBO League in South Korea and said in a social media post he will be returning to the United States.
Puig, 34, who burst onto the scene with the Los Angeles Dodgers in June of 2013, was in his second stint with Kiwoom and played in 40 games this season, batting .213 with a .285 on-base percentage, according to KBO Insider Daniel Kim.
In a post to X, Puig said he is returning to Los Angeles to get “necessary treatment” for a shoulder injury.
“I want to thank my Heroes team for fully supporting me in this transition as I keep aiming to achieve my goal in my baseball career,” Puig said in the post. “Although I will not be returning to Kiwoom this year, my heart is with my Kiwoom teammates and fans, I have grown to love and admire you all so much. Thank you for the opportunity.”
Puig also played for the Heroes in 2022, batting .277 with 21 home runs in 126 games that season.
An All-Star in 2014, Puig spent six of his seven MLB seasons with the Dodgers, batting .277 with an .823 OPS in 861 total games with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs. He also played for the Cincinnati Reds and then Cleveland Indians in 2019.
Puig’s post-MLB career also included two separate stints with El Aguila de Veracruz in the Mexican League.
