Former Braves left fielder Hector Olivera is back in baseball.
FanRag Sports reports Olivera signed on with the Sugarland Skeeters of the Atlantic League last week. The same Skeeters club that once signed baseball pariahs Roger Clemens and Rafael Palmeiro. The Skeeters are managed by former major leaguer Gary Gaetti.
While with the Braves last season, Olivera, 32, served an 82-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball's domestic-violence policy after being arrested April 13 and charged with one count of misdemeanor assault and battery for allegedly beating a female acquaintance in an incident at the team hotel in Arlington, Va.
The Braves traded Olivera to the Padres in exchange for outfielder Matt Kemp on July 30.
He did not play a single game for the Padres. San Diego designated Olivera for assignment when he came off the restricted list following the suspension.
Olivera is hitting .250 with 7 hits, 1 home run and 4 RBI in 30 plate appearances for the Independent Skeeters.
Olivera hit .245 with two homers and 13 RBIs in the majors, appearing in 30 big league games and getting 98 at-bats.
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