It was reported on Wednesday that Cuban infielder Hector Olivera was considering multiple offers in the four- to six-year range and the Los Angeles Dodgers are believed to be one of the teams hoping to land him. The latest news regarding Olivera may provide more clarity of their involvement.
According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the Dodgers have "recently requested a second MRI on the elbow of the hard-hitting Olivera ... and it is believed Olivera declined to provide that." Last week Jeff Passan of Yahoo! Sports reported that serious concern exists that the 29-year-old may have a damaged UCL in his throwing arm.
Following that report, Olivera's representatives denied the injury and noted the infielder has passed four physicals on top of conducting a number of private workouts to prove his health. The infielder defected from Cuba last year and was declared a free agent last week, which has ramped up the efforts of those interested - Dodgers, Padres, Athletics, Braves, Giants and Marlins - to pursue him.
"It isn't known what the first MRI showed, but it was taken in the Dominican, and may not be seen as reliable as a team's own doctor's work," writes Heyman. "People close to the third baseman point out he is throwing well, and that he is one of the most examined and worked-out international players ever, no matter how many MRIs he submits to."
It's not entirely clear why Heyman is referring to Olivera as a third baseman when he played nearly all of his professional games in Cuba at second base, which is where he's likely to play once he reaches the MLB, although third base is also an option.
Olivera has been speculated to land a deal between $50 million and $70 million, but nothing will be known until he signs a contract. It was said Cuban prospect Yoan Moncada could land a signing bonus in the $50 million range once he was cleared to sign with a team, but the Red Sox scooped him up with a $31.5 deal.
However, Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald tweeted yesterday that the Marlins offered Olivera a $53 million deal, but backed off once they heard about the Dodgers' $77 million offer. He also noted the Padres' deal is for $52 million and the Braves' is for $44 million.
Unless the Dodgers' offer is hinging on Olivera presenting a second MRI of his elbow, it's hard to believe the Cuban infield has yet to accept any one of these lucrative deals for having never played a game in the MLB.
