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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Yasiel Puig is expected back in the Los Angeles Dodgers' starting lineup Sunday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Puig has been limited to three pitch-hitting appearances since July 20 due to tightness in his right hamstring.
Puig is hitting .255 with seven homers and 32 RBIs in 272 at-bats. He flew out to center field as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning of the Dodgers' 9-7 victory over Arizona on Friday night. He remained in right field for the last two innings, making one putout.
"He came in yesterday and pinch-hit and took a good swing on a slider," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Saturday. "I expect him to be in there tomorrow against (LHP Patrick) Corbin."
This the second time this season hamstring issues have sidelined Puig, who spent from June 3 to June 21 on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring.
"I don't feel he's 100 percent, and every day we've given him he's gotten better and better," Roberts said. "If there's a chance he could regress then I'm not going to put him in there."
With three off days over an eight-day span, the Dodgers elected to carry Puig on their 25-man roster instead of a fifth starter.
"It's just balancing the fact I don't think he's a DL, but I don't want to put him in harm's way," Roberts said.
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