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Come Fan with UsSunday, June 28, 2026

Yasiel Puig’s fantastic game-ending catch and throw

The Cuban rookie made an impact in his major-league debut, gunning down a runner with a cannon shot.

Harry How

Yasiel Puig made his major-league debut on Monday night in Los Angeles, and his presence was immediately felt in both the Dodgers' lineup and in the field. Puig had two singles out of the leadoff spot, and ended the game with this impressive throw to double off the Padres' Chris Denorfia at first base:

Puig-slo-mo-throw

Puig barely has time to set himself before he fires, and he hits Adrian Gonzalez at first base in the air from the warning track. He got an assist from infielders Nick Punto and Luis Cruz on the play, as they deked out Denorfia by pretending to field a ground ball, getting the runner to advance -- and even slide -- into second. The timing of the throw was all Puig and that hose of his, though.

People are likely to get a little bit too excited about Puig -- Kevin Kennedy, a former big-league manager who was in the Dodgers’ press box, likened Puig to Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente after one game -- but let’s not let statements like that ruin what is a great throw.

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