Yasiel Puig and the Dodgers took one more step toward a nasty split Monday.
The club told the outfielder he would be sent to the minors if he wasn't traded by the 4 p.m. ET non-waiver trade deadline, Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported. Puig responded by leaving the park.
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Puig wasn't traded and has yet to be demoted, but LA flew to Denver for a series vs. the Rockies without him.
A breakup between the sides seemed implausible before this year, but Puig's struggles at the plate have made him the odd man out in the Dodgers' outfield, especially after the team acquired Josh Reddick from the A's.