Hector Olivera was the big get for the Braves in the three-team, 13-player deal before the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. And if all goes according to plan, it won’t be much longer before we see him in the majors.
Olivera could be activated as early as Monday.
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 20, 2015
Olivera landed a six-year, $62.5 million contract with the Dodgers earlier this year. The 30-year-old has been limited to just 25 games in the minors this season due to a hamstring injury, but he’s set to play his first game with Triple-A Gwinnett tonight. He’s starting at third base, which is where he’ll play when he joins the Braves.
Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman spent some time with Olivera while he was rehabbing his wrist injury in Florida and he was impressed with what he saw.
Freeman on Olivera: "If he was taking BP here, he'd be hitting them over that (left field video board at Wrigley). I mean it's impressive."
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) August 20, 2015
Olivera had a .323/.407/.505 batting line over 10 seasons in Cuba’s Serie Nacional.
