This story appears in the Nov. 5, 2018, issue of Sports Illustrated. For more great storytelling and in-depth analysis, subscribe to the magazine—and get up to 94% off the cover price. Click here for more.
As the World Series began, Farhan Zaidi, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ general manager, was, inevitably, asked about the bat-kissing, tongue-wagging, crotch-chopping extravagantly talented rightfielder Yasiel Puig, a player who doesn’t divide public opinion, so much as he cleaves it. “He’s a beauty,” Zaidi said. “He enjoys the spotlight, but he’s also a huge part of why we’re here.