This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Los Angeles • After four innings of watching Yasiel Puig, manager Don Mattingly had seen enough.

The Cuban rookie was pulled from the game, and he then met with Mattingly and general manager Ned Colletti behind closed doors after the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 4-0 on Wednesday.

Mattingly wasn't willing to specify exactly why he pulled Puig for Skip Schumaker, saying only, "I felt I was going to get a better effort out of Skip."

Puig didn't slide into second base to try to break up a double play in the first inning and got upset after striking out in the third, slamming his bat. He is hitting .346.

"I wasn't prepared well for each pitch. It was a good decision," Puig said through a translator about being removed. "He mentioned Skip could come in and do a better job."

Schumaker went 1 for 1 with a walk.

"I wanted to finish the game, but I agreed with the explanation," Puig said. "The meeting went well. We talked about what every player needs to do to prepare for every pitch."

The Dodgers are off Thursday, and Mattingly said Puig would be in the lineup Friday when the San Diego Padres come to town. The manager wouldn't say whether any discipline was involved Wednesday.

"What he did today wasn't acceptable," Dodgers starter Ricky Nolasco said about Puig. "He's young, he's going to have to learn. It's not going to be a distraction. He's going to help this team way more than what he did."

Last week, Puig was held out of the starting lineup for a game in Miami, but Mattingly reiterated that the 22-year-old outfielder was simply given a day off that had already been planned.

Puig's removal overshadowed a second straight dominating performance by Nolasco, who pitched eight innings of three-hit ball.

Around the league

Mets • New York pitchers Jenrry Mejia and Jeremy Hefner have undergone elbow surgery.

Mejia had a bone spur removed and hopes to be ready for the start of next season. Hefner had Tommy John surgery and will likely be sidelined at least a year. Both operations were performed by Mets medical director Dr. David Altchek.

New York ace Matt Harvey, also on the disabled list, is hoping to avoid Tommy John surgery. He was diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, but tweeted Tuesday that he'll be back on the mound next April.

Mets manager Terry Collins says Harvey was encouraged after talking to other pitchers who had similar symptoms or injuries and didn't require surgery, including Roy Halladay.

Braves • Atlanta has activated second baseman Dan Uggla from the disabled list, two weeks after he underwent eye surgery.

Uggla was in the lineup, batting sixth, for Wednesday night's game against the Cleveland Indians. He went 1 for 3 with a walk and two strikeouts. He rejoined the roster after playing two rehab games for Triple-A Gwinnett, where he went 2 for 7 with a homer but also struck out four times.

Indians • Cleveland has placed outfielder Ryan Raburn on the 15-day disabled list because of a strained left Achilles. The move Wednesday is retroactive to Aug. 19.

Raburn has missed 10 of the last 11 games with soreness in his left foot. He is hitting .270 with 15 homers and 41 RBIs in 70 games.

Rangers • Texas manager Ron Washington says the Rangers expect to activate pitchers Neftali Feliz and Nick Tepesch and designated hitter Lance Berkman from the disabled list when rosters expand on Sunday.

Feliz, who has been sidelined for more than a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, will complete his rehab assignment by throwing two to three innings on Wednesday for Triple-A Round Rock.

Tepesch, who is on the 15-day disabled list with elbow inflammation, is scheduled to make his final rehab assignment for Double-A Frisco on Friday. Washington says the right-hander will likely pitch out of the bullpen when he returns.

Pirates • Pittsburgh All-Star closer Jason Grilli's comeback from a right arm injury is picking up speed.

Grilli threw 25 pain-free pitches during a simulated game on Wednesday, a major step toward his return from an injury that blunted the momentum of a career year. The 36-year-old has been on the disabled list since straining the right flexor tendon in his pitching arm during a 6-5 victory over Washington on July 22.