The Boston Red Sox will not have to face Yasiel Puig during their three-game series against the Cleveland Indians beginning Monday night at Progressive Field.
Puig was suspended three games by Major League Baseball earlier this month for his actions during a bench-clearing brawl between the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates on July 30. The 28-year-old outfielder was a member of the Reds at the time. He was later traded to the Indians as part of the Trevor Bauer deal that also involved the San Diego Padres.
The Indians announced Monday that Puig has dropped the appeal of his suspension and will begin serving the three-game ban in the series opener versus the Red Sox.
The timing of Puig's decision makes sense.
The Indians play the American League East-leading New York Yankees in a four-game series at Yankee Stadium after hosting the Red Sox. The Yankees are a better team than the Red Sox and could be an opponent of the Indians in the 2019 postseason. So, if the Indians had to choose, it would benefit them to be at full strength versus New York rather than Boston. The Indians probably don't even need Puig to beat a Red Sox team that's been struggling quite a bit over the last few weeks. Boston has lost 11 of its last 15 games entering Monday's matchup in Cleveland.
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