In the winter, Puig joined Mota in the Dominican Republic to do charity work. Puig participated in a baseball clinic and purchased and personally distributed groceries and supplies to 200 families, Mota said. He played a unique game of stickball with the children where they would attempt to strike him out with bottle caps. The caps cut and maneuvered like a breaking ball, Mota recalls, and Puig would connect with every one of them.

Mota said the children were overwhelmed with joy from not only playing with a hero, but being awed by his ability. Puig said he was inspired by Mota’s longtime charity work in the Dominican Republic.

“That’s the reason I started my charity (Wild Horse Foundation) this year — to help a lot of kids here in Los Angeles and in Miami and in the Dominican Republic by giving them food, giving them school supplies and baseball stuff,” Puig said.

Puig acknowledged a change in himself. He’s a father. And he’s now a five-year Major League veteran with considerable distance from the rookie who had one of the most electrifying starts to a career in Dodger history. He’s experienced much professional adversity since — from slumps to the hamstring injuries of 2015 that limited him to 79 games.

But no adversity was greater than being optioned to Triple-A Oklahoma City on Aug. 2 last season. He was recalled one month later and back to starting for the Dodgers in right field and being an integral part of the Dodger postseason roster.

“Last year, I didn’t listen very well and the team sent me to Triple-A, and when I arrived there I saw a lot of talent that was there in Oklahoma City and realized the opportunity I have in this beautiful city in Los Angeles to be on this team,” Puig said. “You have to listen more and pay attention more, and that’s why I listened and paid attention more. And also I’m older, and every year you can listen more and be more mature. There’s no reason to be the same person every year. Every year, you change.”

In 2017, Puig’s comfort level changed. He said Roberts’ positive personality and encouragement have lifted his confidence. And his relationship with Ward has blossomed.

“I was tired from him last year. He was talking and talking and talking,” Puig joked again, this time about Ward. “This year I have listened more, and things are going better. I’m so happy with him now that when I hit a home run, I give him a kiss.”

Said Ward on the kiss on the cheek, which first occurred July 26 after Puig hit his 19th homer of the year and has since been depicted on a T-shirt the two wore pre-game Aug. 16: “The first time was a shock. I wasn’t expecting it. When an at-bat’s over, I usually give him a high-five, sometimes we talk about the AB or the pitch. So when he grabs a hold of you, you’re not getting loose. I know he was excited and worked hard to get to that goal, and that goal was more than where he is now. But the goal was to continue to get better. (The kiss) was more of a celebration of what he’s done.”

(Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Puig fell three walks short of matching his 2014 career high in walks (67). He had a career low 17.5 percent strikeout percentage, career best 11.2-percent walk percentage and 75.1-percent contact percentage.

Ward said Puig made adjustments and was faithful to them. For example, his front shoulder was coming inside too much, which made it harder for him to get around the ball and create a better angle to hit. Ward said Puig fixed that, and he also has a better understanding of the pitcher he faces that day and a better plan coming into a game and the batter’s box.

Ward, like Mota, said he gives so much with Puig because he cares about him not just as a player, but as a person. Their relationship has grown to the point where Ward’s wife, Donna, has befriended Puig, as have their children.

“I love him,” Ward said. “I love his story. I love his energy — good, bad indifferent. He brings it all. He doesn’t shy away from the way he’s feeling. He says it. I love that. Sometimes it takes you to the heart a little bit, but I love the openness of it because it’s caused a relationship where I know I can be brutally honest with him and he can be brutally honest with me.”

Beyond the coaching staff, Puig said there is a group of others who have been instrumental in redefining him.

“This year, my teammates have helped me a lot,” he said. “That’s the reason I focus more. This team is great. Everyone is together. When you don’t hit, someone else is hitting … I want to say thank you to all my teammates and coaches who have helped me since Spring Training.”

Puig led all National League right fielders in defensive runs saved (18), ultimate zone rating per 150 games (15.5) and defensive runs above average (5.9), according to FanGraphs. Runners who were on first base held at second base on a single hit to Puig 56.5 percent of the time. He threw three runners out advancing to third. When the runner was on second and there was a single hit to Puig, they held at third base 43.5 percent of the time.

Puig was rewarded with the 2017 Wilson Defensive Player of the Year in right field. However, he finished second to Chicago’s Jason Heyward for the NL Gold Glove for right fielders.

“For the last three, four years I’ve played good defense in the outfield, and I’ve never been a finalist for the Gold Glove voting,” Puig said before the 2017 season ended. “I don’t know who’s voting for that, but I do the best I can every year, and this year it’s one of my biggest goals to win a Gold Glove.”

Puig reasons that the perception about him being showy may have turned voters off in the past. He cites flipping the bat after a home run as one reason voters might be turned off.

He said he wants to win a Gold Glove for his mother, Maritza.

“My mom tells me all the time, ‘Why do you run into the wall?’” Puig says. “I say, ‘Because I need to catch the ball.’ And she says, ‘One year I hope you win a Gold Glove, because you’re hitting the wall too much. You’re not Superman.’”

But Puig has loftier goals that will wait for 2018.

“I want to win the World Series because this team is great, and I love this city,” Puig said. “It’s been almost 30 years since this team has won a World Series, and everyone is excited here. They want to win the World Series. I want to see the big party. I want to see my owners (celebrate). The city has waited (almost) 30 years. In basketball, the Lakers won. (In hockey), the Kings won. The only team for 30 years and no winning is baseball. And the Dodgers have more fans than every sport here in Los Angeles. And I know that’s going to be something big for me, and I want to be a part of that history.”