Los Angeles Dodgers

Puig confident he'll snap out of slump down stretch, in postseason

Published Aug. 21, 2015 5:53 a.m. ET

foxsports

Yasiel Puig is one of the most unique talents in baseball, but his production has waned this season, buoying concerns that he might falter in the postseason for the third-consecutive year.

While the 24-year-old right fielder got off to a hot start at the plate this season, his offensive numbers have dipped over the past two months, which has many wondering if the rigors of a full season have caught up with Puig after a tremendous rookie season in 2013.

Despite knocking in 16 RBI with four home runs in July, Puig held a .198/.239/.372 split in July, which he has followed up with a. 235/.304/.451 line with three home runs and nine RBI in August.

The enigmatic Cuban outfielder is now hitting .250/.320/.434 with 10 home runs and 35 RBI in 72 games this season.

"I'm sure I can get out of this bad time in this final part and in the postseason, where it will be even more important,"Puig said.

While he's failed to live up to expectations this season, Puig's shortcomings will soon be forgotten if he can perform for the Dodgers in the postseason.

Although his postseason numbers read well at .314/.364/.412 with a double, two triples, and five RBI in 14 games, he has proven to be ineffective for the Dodgers in key postseason scenarios and has struck out 22 times in 51 at-bats.

In fact, Puig has struck out two or more times in half of the 14 postseason games he's played so far, including two four-strikeout games.

Nonetheless, Puig remains optimistic that he'll be able to overcome his slump and excel when it matters most.

"Probably the success I've had in the last two years was because nobody knew me. Could be," he said. "But I will always be successful in this sport, because that is what I have always done since age 11."

(h/t ESPN)