Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, Dodgers reach 6-year, $62.5M deal

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Los Angeles Dodgers announced the signing of Cuban infielder Hector Olivera to a six-year contract Tuesday, two months after the team and Olivera first came to an agreement.

Olivera's arrival was delayed by the slow process of obtaining a work visa. He arrived in the United States late last week and took his physical Friday. Olivera, 30, had a .323 career batting average and 96 home runs in the Cuban league. The contract will pay Olivera $62.5 million over six years. Of that, $28 million is paid as a signing bonus.

Olivera flew to Arizona Tuesday and will spend a few days getting in game shape before heading to Class A Rancho Cucamonga to begin his U.S. career, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. Olivera will play just a handful of games for Rancho Cucamonga before he joins the Dodgers' Triple-A Oklahoma City team, Friedman said.

"We feel like at this point in time, offense is obviously a real premium in the game, and his bat has a chance to be a real impact bat in the major leagues," Friedman said. "We're going to do everything we can to bring him along, and we're very confident he's going to come up at some point this year and help us win games."

There were reports that Olivera has a partially torn ligament in his throwing arm, but Friedman said the team found nothing in his physical to send up any red flags. "We felt really good about it as we went through it," Friedman said.

Olivera said his agent spoke to about five teams other than the Dodgers, with the San Francisco Giants, Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins all showing serious interest. He denied the report that he had damage to his elbow ligament, saying through an interpreter he "doesn't know where that rumor came from" and that his arm injury in Cuba was the result of muscle fatigue. He expects to need about three to four weeks in the minor leagues to be ready to join the Dodgers.

Olivera's likeliest path to the major leagues this season is at third base since the Dodgers are happy with their every-day second baseman, Howie Kendrick. Olivera said he has never played another position other than second but that he thinks he can make the adjustment successfully.

"My whole career I've played second, but I don't think I'm in a position to say where I'm going to play," Olivera said. "Whether they put me at first, second or third, I'm going to do my best because this is my dream, to play in the major leagues."

His potential presence at third perhaps gives the Dodgers further impetus to trade one of their other third basemen. They have been going with a platoon at third base that includesJustin Turner, Alex Guerrero and Juan Uribe.

The Dodgers also finalized the signing of Pablo Fernandez to an $8 million minor league deal.

"We are excited to be adding two players to our organization that have consistently demonstrated their talent in Cuba as well as in international competition," Friedman said in a statement. "We look forward to adding them to our organization and are confident they will be able to contribute to the Dodgers in the near future."