Cuban infield prospect Hector Olivera could have damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his throwing arm, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan.
Hector Olivera might need Tommy John surgery, per report
The market for Olivera might have just taken a Miguel Alfredo Gonzalez-type hit.
Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
Olivera has at least one offer for north of $50 million, per Passan, but a UCL injury is the type that could quickly reduce the money teams would be willing to shell out. If the reported injury requires Tommy John surgery, Olivera would likely miss the entire 2015 season.
People close to Olivera deny that a UCL injury exists, according to Baseball America’s Ben Badler. That sentiment meshes with what evaluators saw when the 29-year-old tried out for big league clubs. However, the results from physicals that Olivera recently underwent might tell a different story. “Photos don’t lie,” an unnamed club official told MLB.com’s Jesse Sanchez.
Olivera is not currently eligible for free agency and technically cannot negotiate with teams, Badler and Sanchez point out.
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