The Los Angeles Dodgers have reportedly reached an agreement to sign Cuban second baseman Hector Olivera to a six-year, $62.5 million deal with a $28 million signing bonus.
Jesse Sanchez of MLB.com first reported Tuesday morning that a deal was in place:
Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times confirmed the report.
Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported the contract includes a clause that would give the Dodgers a seventh season at $1 million, should Olivera need Tommy John surgery. Sanchez reported on a the potential reason this cause was included:
Olivera, who will turn 30 on April 5, has long been a standout in Cuba’s Serie Nacional. He has displayed good power for a middle infielder to go along with solid speed and defense. He’s a well-rounded player capable of making an instant impact at the MLB level.
Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports discussed the team’s plans for Olivera:
There have been lingering questions about his health, though.
In February, Ben Badler of Baseball America reported on why Olivera missed an entire season of action in Cuba. He noted a blood clot in Olivera’s left biceps was the likely cause, with the second baseman saying he always gets asked about it.
“Everybody asks,” Olivera said, per Badler. “It’s the same things they ask.”
Then in early March, Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reported there was concern among interested teams that the free agent had injured the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm:
Serious concern exists that Cuban infielder Hector Olivera has a damaged ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm, potentially hindering the market for a free agent who many expected to contribute in the major leagues this season, sources told Yahoo Sports.
Assuming he receives a clean bill of health, the process of getting Olivera ready for regular-season action should begin immediately. Since he’s getting a late start, it’s unknown exactly when he’ll be deemed ready to make his debut.
The outlook from a pure baseball perspective is promising. Obviously, he’s already in his peak years. As opposed to some younger players, who arrive raw but full of potential, Olivera is far more polished and ready to play.
There will likely be a transition period at the outset. But once he gets settled in, he can provide some nice pop while probably hitting somewhere between the fifth and seventh spots in the lineup.
Given the question marks surrounding his health, it’s a signing that does come with risk. It could pay off quite nicely if the issues don’t impact him moving forward, though.
Olivera is a mystery, but one the Dodgers were willing to take a chance on.
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