Editorials

Hector Olivera’s Contract Has Large Signing Bonus, Annual Increases

Hector Olivera

One thing Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman has emphasized this season is that you can never have too much depth.



With the plethora injuries in the outfield, starting rotation and bullpen in the first two months of the season, the Dodgers have already called on the depth they added in the offseason. On Tuesday, the team officially announced that more help is on the way.

Cuban infielder Hector Olivera was signed to a six-year, $62.5 million deal. The Dodgers reached a deal with Olivera in late March, but it was just made official as he was finally able to obtain a visa and come to the United States.

According to Beth Harris of the Associated Press, Olivera will be receiving a fairly large signing bonus, and his yearly salary will increase each year of the six-year deal:

Olivera gets a $28 million signing bonus, of which $12 million is payable within five days of approval by the commissioner’s office, $7.5 million by Aug. 1 and $8.5 million by Dec. 31.

Olivera receives salaries of $2 million this year, $4 million in 2016, $6 million in 2017, $6.5 million in 2018, $7.5 million in 2019 and $8.5 million in 2020.

The 30 year old has made his way to Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Ariz., to work out. He will then head to High-A Rancho Cucamonga and advance Triple-A Oklahoma City, but he does not expect to be there long, as he believes he will be ready to contribute at the Major-League level within one month.

Olivera had a .323 career average in Cuba with 96 home runs and 433 RBIs in 10 seasons with Santiago, playing mostly first and second base. His primary position has been second base, so that may be where he fits in next season if the Dodgers are not able to re-sign Howie Kendrick.

Olivera could join Alex Guerrero, Justin Turner and Scott Van Slyke as major bench contributors this season, despite having the talent to be an everyday starter.

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2 Comments

  1. I would assume that we will be trading an infielder, probably a 3B, for a starting pitcher when Olivera is ready.

    1. kendrick or uribe would make solid trading chips at the deadline for contending teams who need to upgrade at 2nd or 3rd, and they are lame ducks from the dodger vantage point.

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