Two of the most untradeable players in baseball were traded on Saturday.
Hector Olivera was not going to play another game for the Atlanta Braves. The team has actively tried to trade him since a domestic violence incident in April, and his on-field performance had been poor since he was traded this time last year. Many around the industry considered him untradeable.
On Saturday, John Coppolella and the Braves got rid of Olivera. Instead of releasing him outright – as some thought they would upon reinstatement to the league – the team sent him to San Diego in exchange for veteran outfielder Matt Kemp.