Dodgers demote OF Yasiel Puig

Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday optioned outfielder Yasiel Puig a day after he did not travel with the team.

General manager Farhan Zaidi said Tuesday that Puig is expected to head to Triple-A Oklahoma City and report on time.

"We didn't want him to come to the ballpark because we knew he wasn't going to Denver with us," manager Dave Roberts told The Associated Press on Monday. "We were looking for more production from that position, so we acquired a player [Josh Reddick] who is having a really good year and great track record."

Puig, 25, hit .260 with seven home runs and 34 RBI in 81 games with the Dodgers.

Stripling, 26, went 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 12 games (eight starts) in two stints with Los Angeles this season.

The Dodgers also demoted RHP Josh Fields, who the team acquired from the Houston Astros yesterday, and RHP Ross Stripling.

Fields, 30, went 1-0 with one save and a 1.65 ERA in 23 relief appearances with the Astros' Triple-A Fresno this season, while also posting a 6.89 ERA (12 ER/15.2 IP) in 15 games with Houston this year. Stripling, 26, went 2-3 with a 4.14 ERA in 12 games (eight starts) in two stints with Los Angeles this season.

The Dodgers also activated outfielder Josh Reddick and right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez, who were acquired yesterday from Oakland and Toronto, respectively.

Reddick, 29, is batting .296 with eight home runs and 28 RBI in 68 games this year, including hitting safely in nine of his last 11 games since July 18 with a .318 batting average (14-for-44) in that span. The left-handed hitting Reddick has posted a .341 batting average with runners in scoring position (15-for-44) and a .319 mark with runners on base (29-for-91), while exceling against right-handed pitching this year, batting .341 (61-for-179) with all 20 of his extra-base hits (11 doubles, one triple, eight homers).

Chavez, 32, went 1-2 with a 4.57 ERA in 39 games with the Blue Jays this year, while limiting right-handed hitters to a .245 batting average and posting a 4.20 strikeout-to-walk ratio (42 SO/10 BB).

Left-handed pitcher Rich Hill (#44), who was also acquired from Oakland yesterday, will be placed on the Dodgers' 15-day disabled list, becoming the 23rd Los Angeles player to be placed on the DL this year, a National League record. Hill, 36, has been on the disabled list since July 18 with a blister on his pitching hand and had a 9-3 record with a 2.25 ERA in 14 starts with the A's this year, limiting opposing hitters to a .201 batting average with a 1.09 WHIP. Hill leads the American League (min. 75.0 IP) in ERA and home runs allowed per 9.0 innings (0.24, 2 HR/76.0IP), while ranking among the league's best in opponents' average (2nd), WHIP (9th) and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (10.66, 90 SO/76.0 IP).