MLB slugger Yasiel Puig sued for alleged sexual battery at Lakers game in 2018

Major League Baseball outfielder and slugger Yasiel Puig is being sued by a woman for sexual battery regarding an incident that allegedly occurred at a Los Angeles Lakers game in 2018. 

Per a TMZ Sports story, Puig, who was a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers at the time, allegedly assaulted the woman inside of a bathroom on Oct. 31, 2018. The woman says in her report that she did not intend to have a sexual encounter with Puig leading up to the alleged incident. She is seeking more than $50,000 in damages and suing for "sexual battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and false imprisonment."

Puig was seen sitting courtside when the Lakers faced the Dallas Mavericks on the night of the reported assault. Puig's camp had not responded to a TMZ request for comments as of the posting of this piece.

Less than two months after the alleged incident, Puig was involved in a trade that sent him to the Cincinnati Reds. The following July, the Cleveland Indians landed the 2014 All-Star in an attempt to compete for a title. He and the Indians parted ways in the offseason, and the 29-year-old remained unsigned until he and the Atlanta Braves agreed on a contract roughly one week before the start of the pandemic-shortened season. 

However, that potential deal fell through after Puig tested positive for COVID-19. He didn't play for an MLB team this year.