UPDATE:
JUST IN: Hector Olivera charged w/ one count misdemeanor assault & battery. Bond set at $10 thousand dollars.
— Jeff Goldberg (@abc7jeffg) April 13, 2016
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On top of an 0-7 start to the 2016 MLB season, the Atlanta Braves may have another serious issue on their hands after outfielder Hector Olivera was arrested in Arlington, Va., on Wednesday after a woman accused him of assault at a hotel.
Arlington Police arrested the 31-year-old after they received a call around 7 a.m. this morning. When authorities arrived at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City, a woman with "visible bruises" reported that Olivera had assaulted her, according to Arlington Police spokeswoman Ashley Savage.
Olivera was arrested at the scene and is waiting to be formally charged by a magistrate. The woman, who Savage said was acquainted with Olivera, was taken to a hospital.
The Braves are in Washington, D.C., as they're visiting the Nationals for a four-game set.
Additionally, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post is reporting that Major League Baseball "has placed Olivera on administrative leave and the commissioner's office has begun an investigation." MLB also made the same move with Colorado Rockies shortstop Jose Reyes, who was charged with domestic violence earlier in the offseason but hadn't yet stood trial when the league made its decision.
Under the new domestic violence policy, it's possible that Olivera gets suspended, especially if he is formally charged. Aroldis Chapman received a 30-game ban for his involvement in a domestic dispute earlier in the offseason, and he was never arrested or charged.
The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Olivera to a $62.5 million contract last March and then traded him at the non-waiver deadline in July to the Braves in a three-team, 13-player deal. Interestingly enough, the Braves were one of the teams that were aggressively pursuing Olivera once he defected from Cuba to become a free agent and sign an MLB contract, but the Dodgers out-bid them.
After 10 seasons in Cuba's Serie Nacional, Olivera made the move to Major League Baseball, but he's played in only 30 games and hasn't been all that impressive yet. He was primarily a third baseman in Cuba, but the Braves moved him to left field after he made four errors in 21 games at third last year.
Atlanta has issued a statement on behalf of the incident:
"We are extremely disappointed and troubled to learn of the allegations involving Hector Olivera. We will continue to gather information and will address this matter appropriately as we determine the facts. Major League Baseball has placed Oliver on Administrative Leave effective immediately."
Stay tuned for more updates on this development.
