Sources: Padres looming as favorite to sign Cuban infielder Hector Olivera

The San Diego Padres are positioning themselves as a favorite to land Cuban infielder Hector Olivera, showing a willingness to spend significant money after strong-but-failed attempts to sign Cubans Yasmany Tomas and Yoan Moncada earlier this offseason, sources told Yahoo Sports.

The market for Olivera heated up Tuesday, with the Padres considering an offer upwards of $50 million, according to sources. The Atlanta Braves, Oakland A's and Los Angeles Dodgers remain in the mix, with the former two balking at the potential price tag and the latter still weighing whether to enter the foray aggressively.

San Diego's salvo is another assertive move from first-year general manager A.J. Preller, who has remade the team this offseason with an un-Padres-like spending spree. While he increased San Diego's star power and profile by adding starter James Shields, along with sluggers Justin Upton, Matt Kemp, Wil Myers and Derek Norris, the Padres' infield remains its weakest spot.

Signing Olivera, 29, could help mitigate that concern, though he himself comes with significant risk. In addition to a reported blood clot in his non-throwing left arm, significant questions exist about the health of the ulnar collateral ligament in Olivera's right arm, sources told Yahoo Sports.

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Teams were balking at Olivera's $70 million-plus asking price because of his health issues, and Olivera late Monday fired agents Manny Paula and Rudy Santin, hiring veteran Greg Genske to handle negotiations. Other teams quickly have since expressed interest in Olivera, according to MLB.com, including the Miami Marlins.

San Diego currently expects to start Jedd Gyorko at second base and Will Middlebrooks at third base. They hit a combined .203 with next to no power last season, and however many issues executives have with Olivera's health, his bat raises no red flags. The right-handed hitter showed excellent power in workouts and showcases, and he'll be just the latest Cuban to receive a significant deal.

Tomas, who signed with Arizona for $68 million, was one of the Padres' biggest targets this offseason. Moncada, the 19-year-old on whom Boston spent $63 million, was coveted so highly by the Padres they told him he could come to major league camp this season with a chance at winning a spot on the team's opening day roster, sources said.

Though Atlanta needs a second baseman, with prospect Jose Peraza not ready for the big leagues and also taking a whirl in center field this spring, the Braves are not inclined to get into any sort of a bidding war over Olivera, sources said. Oakland is taking a similar tack, buttressed by its stability at second base with Ben Zobrist and third with Brett Lawrie.

The Dodgers are the wild card, as they were for Moncada, when they didn't place a bid because Moncada wanted to sign now instead of waiting until July, when Los Angeles could avoid incurring amateur signing penalties. No such consequences exist for a major league free agent like Olivera, leaving the Dodgers considering his fit.

In theory, he's perfect for the Dodgers, particularly considering the paucity of free-agent third basemen after this season, when Dodgers starter Juan Uribe also hits free agency. The Dodgers could conceivably shift top prospect Corey Seager from shortstop to third base and sign top shortstop free agent Ian Desmond, who has not made progress on a contract extension with Washington after rejecting a seven-year, $107 million deal around this time last year.

The ascent of Seager, center fielder Joc Pederson and other elite young players could allow the Dodgers even greater flexibility to take a risk on Olivera, particularly if the medicals on his throwing arm check out.

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