Former Los Angeles Dodgers phenom Yasiel Puig is the biggest star in Canadian Baseball League history. However, the ex-MLBer currently faces up to 15 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors are actively pushing for jail time of at least a year and a half.
It is quite the fall from grace for the once-electrifying Major League Baseball talent. He could very soon be placed behind bars.
Yasiel Puig is hitting dingers for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The man they call ‘Wild Horse’ made his professional baseball debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 3, 2013. The 6-foot-2 outfielder immediately burst onto the scene with two hits and a dramatic game-ending double play in right field. He extended his historic first week by hitting four home runs in his first five days. It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen.
Now, 13 years later, Puig is seven years removed from Major League Baseball. He finished his career with a .277 batting average with 132 home runs and 415 RBIs before a brief stint in Mexico and Korea.
The 35-year-old currently plays in the Canadian Baseball League with the Toronto Maple Leafs. No, that is not a typo. It is the same name as the hockey team. He signed the largest contract in CBL history.
His debut with the Maple Leafs was just as good as his debut with the Dodgers. Yasiel Puig launched his first CBL home run during his first at-bat with Toronto, a three-run blast in the bottom of the second.
Yasiel Puig, currently playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the Canadian Baseball League, just homered in his first first game in Canada pic.twitter.com/XHVlQlnL4L
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) May 10, 2026
He followed it up with a solo shot in the bottom of the fifth.
UPDATE: Yasiel Puig has his second homer of the day https://t.co/4CYbMsbOYY pic.twitter.com/UkMlzRczEx
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) May 10, 2026
The ballpark for his CBL debut sat 299 feet to left and right, and 330 feet to center. Needless to say, the field dimensions are in Puig’s favor.
The same cannot be said about an ongoing legal battle. A lengthy prison sentence looms over his future.
Canadian Baseball League —> Prison ??
Yasiel Puig was found guilty of “obstructing justice” and “lying to federal officials investigating illegal sports gambling ring.” Both crimes are felonies.
This entire situation stems from a federal investigation in connection with allegations that Puig placed illegal bets on sporting events while still playing in MLB. He was convicted in February.
Prosecutors presented their evidence over the course of a 13-day trial. They proved that Puig placed bets through an intermediary and accrued more than $250,000 in debt. He continued to place more than 800 online bets and raised his debt to nearly $1 million after he settled the initial quarter-million sum.
According to Sam Blum of The Athletic, those same prosecutors are pushing for 18 months in prison, three years of supervised release and total fines of $55,200. Puig’s attorney is pushing back.
“Yasiel Puig is a first-time offender who has already been punished through years of prosecution, reputational damage, financial consequences, and the effective destruction of his professional life. A prison sentence is not proportional to the conduct and would not accomplish any rehabilitative purpose here. The Court has complete discretion over the sentence, and the defense will request a sentence of probation.”
A formal sentencing is set for May 26. The Maple Leafs have games scheduled for May 17, 23 and 24.