Los Angeles Dodgers call up Miguel Olivo, option Tim Federowicz

Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

This season, the Dodgers have not gotten much production from their catchers on offense. To try to fix this catching problem, the Dodgers announced prior to Wednesday’s game that they have selected the contract of catcher Miguel Olivo from Triple-A Albuquerque and have optioned catcher Tim Federowicz to Triple-A Albuquerque.

The Dodgers have been working a two-man platoon behind the plate as of late. They have had to do this due to the injury of their starting catcher A.J. Ellis. The Los Angeles’ catching duo of Federowicz and Drew Butera is hitting a combined .143 with a .393 OPS. That was not what the Dodgers had in store at the beginning of spring training, as they expected Ellis to be healthy and to get production from him both behind the plate and in the batter’s box.

In the minor leagues, Olivo had recorded a .390 batting average along with four home runs and a 1.099 OPS in fifteen games at Triple-A Albuquerque. He is expected to give the Dodgers a boost as a hitter but they will take a toll with his fielding ability. Since he is now a thirty-five year-old catcher, he is not as effective as he used to be behind the dish.

Not all things look bright for Olivo and the Dodgers. Over the past three seasons, Olivo has hit a combined .222 with a .633 OPS. That is still a major improvement over both Butera and Federowicz, but he is still an awful batter. In his fifteen games at Triple-A Albuquerque, despite hitting .390, he struck out fifteen times compared to walking only three times at the plate. The Dodgers really need Ellis to get healthy and back in the lineup soon.