The Rays signed Olivares to a minor-league contract Wednesday that includes an invitation to spring training, Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

A career .254/.306/.407 hitter over parts of five big-league seasons, Olivares spent the 2025 season with the Orix Buffaloes in Japan. The 29-year-old will compete for a roster spot with the Rays but is likely destined to begin the 2026 season at Triple-A Durham.

The Orix Buffaloes of the Korea Baseball Organization signed Olivares on Jan. 10, Gaijin Baseball reports.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares signed a minor-league contract with the Mets back in December, but they granted him his release so that he could pursue an opportunity overseas. Slated to turn 29 in March, Olivares slashed only .224/.291/.333 with five home runs in 55 contests with the Pirates in 2024.

The Mets signed Olivares to a minor-league contract Friday that includes an invitation to spring training, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares slashed only .224/.291/.333 with five home runs in 55 contests with the Pirates this season, but he had a 108 OPS+ as a part-timer with the Royals over the previous two seasons. Slated to turn 29 in March, Olivares will compete for a reserve outfielder role with the Mets but will likely start next season at Triple-A Syracuse.

Olivares became a free agent Oct. 2.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares was designated for assignment in August and was sent outright to Triple-A Indianapolis a few days later, and he's since decided to test out the open market. He appeared in 55 games for the Pirates in 2024 and slashed .224/.291/.333 with five home runs, 23 RBI, one stolen base and 22 runs scored.

The Pirates outrighted Olivares to Triple-A Indianapolis on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares lost his spot on the 40-man roster this past Thursday, when the Pirates called up reliever Ben Heller from Triple-A Indianapolis in a corresponding move. Before he was designated for assignment, Olivares had been optioned to Triple-A shortly before the All-Star break after slashing .224/.291/.333 across 196 plate appearances with the big club. He hasn't fared much better during his time in Indianapolis this season, producing a .656 OPS through 63 plate appearances.

The Pirates designated Olivares for assignment Thursday, Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares was optioned to Triple-A Indianapolis a month ago after producing a .624 OPS in 55 contests, and he didn't do much better in the International League with a .657 OPS in 15 games. Given his $1.35 million salary, the 28-year-old seems likely to pass through waivers unclaimed.

The Pirates optioned Olivares to Triple-A Indianapolis on Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares was a regular in right field for the Pirates throughout June, but the 28-year-old has started only one game since Joshua Palacios was brought up to the active roster Thursday. With Palacios emerging as Pittsburgh's preferred option in right field, Olivares will be sent back to Triple-A and will yield his roster spot to Quinn Priester (lat).

Olivares is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares has now taken a seat in three consecutive matchups with right-handed pitchers, signaling that the Pirates now longer view him as their primary option in right field. The lefty-hitting Joshua Palacios has started in right field in the last two of those matchups with righties and looks to have emerged as the strong-side platoon option at the position. Olivares should still play fairly regularly against left-handed pitching.

Olivares is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Saturday marks the fourth time in five games that Olivares is absent from the starting lineup, with the Pirates going with Bryan Reynolds, Michael Taylor and Joshua Palacios in the outfield. Since June 1, Olivares is slashing .211/.294/.211 with six RBI over 57 at-bats.

Olivares is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Mets.

EDGE Analysis

Olivares is on the bench for the third time in four games as Jack Suwinski, Michael Taylor and Joshua Palacios fill the outfield from left to right. Olivares is 0-for-6 at the plate in July.