Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig an All-Star? ‘Right now, no,’ Mattingly says

Yasiel Puig might have captured the imagination of baseball fans from coast to coast, but the blossoming movement to get the Dodgers phenom into the All-Star game has not won unconditional support within the Dodgers clubhouse.

“You should have to earn it,� Manager Don Mattingly said.

In his first 15 games in the major leagues, Puig hit .474 with five home runs and 11 runs batted in. Is he an All-Star?

“Right now, no,� Mattingly said. “Are his numbers better than anybody else’s? If he gets to the point where he’s putting up huge numbers, he should be considered. Right now, you’re asking if he should be above guys with 40 RBIs.�

Adrian Gonzalez, a four-time All-Star and the Dodgers’ position player most likely to make the All-Star team, echoed the concern that Puig had not played long enough to build up sufficient statistical totals.

“What he’s done is unheard of,� Gonzalez said. “Nobody else has really done it. But if you look up at the scoreboard and he’s got 15 or 20 RBIs, it’s going to look a bit off.�

Matt Kemp wondered when Mike Trout and Bryce Harper were called up last year. Trout and Harper each made his debut April 28, and each made the All-Star game last year. Puig made his debut June 3.

“It’s only been two weeks,� Kemp said. “What he’s done has been amazing so far. I don’t know how to feel about that.

“I think he has a better chance to win rookie of the year than to be an All-Star.�

The All-Star rosters will be announced July 6. Mattingly chuckled at the notion Puig could not possibly get his statistical totals high enough by then.

“It only took him five games to drive in 10,� Mattingly said. “He could have about 60 ribbies by then.�