Yasiel Puig isn’t in lineup, though not for disciplinary reasons, per Dodgers’ manager.

Yasiel Puig benched

Yasiel Puig was benched in the sixth inning of the Dodgers’ 8-2 win on Tuesday. (Keith Birmingham/Staff photographer)

Yasiel Puig is not in the Dodgers’ lineup against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, one day after he was benched in the middle of an 8-2 win for not hustling out a hit in the sixth inning.

The decision to start Trayce Thompson in right field today was made before Puig was benched last night, manager Dave Roberts said.

Roberts said he believes Puig has already learned his lesson and no further discipline is necessary.

“We had a good conversation,” Roberts said. “He wants to be a better teammate. … He wants to get better.”

It’s just as notable that Thompson has now started 15 of a possible 17 games this month at all three outfield positions. More on him later. Here is the Dodgers’ full lineup against Reds right-hander Dan Straily:
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Game 47: Dave Roberts makes a tough decision in Dodgers’ win over Reds.

Yasiel Puig

Yasiel Puig was removed from the Dodgers’ 8-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds for not running out this hit. (Keith Birmingham/Staff photographer)

The Dodgers took advantage of three errors and six free passes to beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-2 on Tuesday at Dodger Stadium.

The box score is here.

The photo gallery is here.

Will Clayton Kershaw pitch on normal rest Saturday or extra rest Sunday when the Dodgers visit the New York Mets this weekend? Dave Roberts is considering his options.

Yasiel Puig was removed for not hustling out a fly ball off the wall that he turned into a single in the sixth inning. Here’s what he and Roberts said about it after the game:
Continue reading “Game 47: Dave Roberts makes a tough decision in Dodgers’ win over Reds.” »

Report: Dodgers to trade two prospects to Cincinnati Reds for Aroldis Chapman. Update.

"<strongNASHVILLE — The Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds have agreed on a trade that would send pitcher Aroldis Chapman to Los Angels for a pair of unknown prospects, according to reports Monday. Ken Rosenthal of FoxSports.com was first with the news.

Update (7:30 p.m.): An MLB investigation into allegations of domestic violence against Chapman have put the trade proposal on hold. Yahoo! Sports was first to report the news. Read more here.

Chapman, baseball’s hardest thrower, has averaged 36 saves a season each of the last four years for some struggling Reds teams. He has a 2.17 ERA, 146 saves and a whopping 546 strikeouts in 319 innings pitched in his career.

In Chapman and Kenley Jansen, the Dodgers would have arguably the best right-handed and left-handed closers in the National League. The question of how to use the two, both of whom are in their final years of salary arbitration, would present an enviable problem for any team.

Update (12 p.m.): Based on what I’ve heard from baseball sources today, I don’t believe either Grant Holmes or Jose De Leon will be part of the package going to Cincinnati. The trade has yet to be completed so the names still have time to change, but that would affirm a tweet earlier today by David Vassegh of KLAC (570-AM) that no Dodgers pitching prospects are involved in the deal. That would also rule out Julio Urias, the Dodgers’ top prospect.

If the Reds are interested in position players and the Dodgers don’t include any players on the 40-man roster, the names to watch include Single-A first baseman Cody Bellinger or outfielder Alex Verdugo, or Double-A catcher Kyle Farmer.

If other teams become involved the trade, the names are only more likely to change. That’s entirely possible:

Adrian Gonzalez leaves Dodgers’ game with right knee contusion.

CINCINNATI — Adrian Gonzalez left the Dodgers’ game against the Cincinnati Reds with a right knee contusion. He was replaced in the bottom of the fifth inning by Scott Van Slyke and is day-to-day, according to the team.

Gonzalez appeared to foul a pitch off his knee in the third inning against Reds pitcher Anthony DeSclafani.

Gonzalez leads the Dodgers with 24 home runs and 74 RBIs this season. He was 0-for-2 in the game when he was removed and is batting .247 in the month of August.

Watch: Don Mattingly discusses Kiké Hernandez and the Dodgers’ newfound ‘urgency.’

CINCINNATI — Prior to today’s game against the Reds, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly talked about sitting Kiké Hernandez for the first time on the eight-game road trip, what it would mean to sweep the three-game series against the Reds:

He also discussed the “sense of urgency” message propagated by Clayton Kershaw on Sunday, which seems to have carried into Cincinnati: