"The headlines are wrong" - Dodgers star Miguel Rojas stands up for Yasiel Puig following false reports of him starting a brawl

Even though Yasiel Puig has not played in the MLB since 2019, the polarizing outfielder has been unable to stay out of the headlines. Earlier this month, the former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger found himself in the news yet again, this time for his role in a bench-clearing brawl in the Venezuelan Winter League.

Footage of the incident involving Yasiel Puig circulated on social media. This time, it was not the controversial outfielder who caused the outrage. During a dust-up between the two Venezuelan clubs, Puig can be seen in the middle of the incident, trying to prevent the two teams from fighting. In the video, a player from the opposing team can be seen throwing a slap at Puig, striking him in the face.

The player who sucker punched Puig quickly backs away from the former All-Star in an attempt to avoid any response from the powerful Cuban slugger. The initial clips did not show the full extent of the melee, however, headlines about Puig's involvement in a fight quickly sent social media into a frenzy.

This, however, was something that Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas felt was unfair. "The headlines are wrong," Rojas said to popular baseball analyst Chirs Rose, saying that Puig has been trying to turn a corner in an attempt to be given another opportunity in the MLB.

"Miggy Ro defended his teammate Yasiel Puig after their team’s recent viral brawl" - @ChrisRoseSports

Miguel Rojas said that the way the media portrayed Puig was unfair to the outfielder. Rojas explained that Puig was simply trying to de-escalate the situation but reacted after a different player came from behind and struck him. The Dodgers infielder said that he is attempting to change and trying to get better, which made the media narrative disappointing for Rojas.

Yasiel Puig remains committed to returning to the MLB

The former All-Star has not appeared in an MLB game since 2019 when he was a member of the Cleveland Guardians. Since then, Yasiel Puig has worked his way across the globe in an attempt to return to the major leagues, playing in several different countries, including Mexico, South Korea, and the Dominican Republic.

"Sad end for a great player: Tampa Bay Rays will not reach an agreement with Yasiel Puig (translated from Spanish)" - @Notidiahora

Earlier this offseason there were rumors of the former Los Angeles Dodgers slugger potentially signing with the Tampa Bay Rays, however, those have since been debunked.