Former KC Royals OF could find new home in Japan just weeks after Mets signing

It's been just four weeks since former Kansas City Royals outfielder Edward Olivares signed a minor league deal to join the New York Mets organization, but it appears he wasn't happy with the new arrangement, because he may already be on the move. According to recent reports out of Japan and MLB Trade Rumors, Olivares is close to a deal with the Orix Buffaloes of Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan, though the terms are not yet finalized or confirmed by either the team or Olivares.

Olivares originally signed with the Toronto Blue Jays as an international free agent on July 2, 2014, and worked his way up to High-A before being traded to the San Diego Padres on January 6, 2018. He was promoted to Double-A to start the 2019 season, and after slashing .283/.349/.453 with 18 home runs and 77 RBI in 551 plate appearances, he was called up to make his major league debut with the Padres on July 25, 2020.

On August 29, 2020 — just a month after his debut — the Padres traded Olivares and a player to be named later to the Royals in exchange for pitcher Trevor Rosenthal. Olivares appeared in 18 games for the Royals before the end of the 2020 season, batting .274 with 2 home runs and 7 RBI in 65 plate appearances, but was sent down to Triple-A to start 2021. He was moved between the minors and majors for the next year, only playing in 39 big league games during 2021 and accumulating a .238/.291/.406 slashline in 111 plate appearances.

Olivares' 2022 campaign was limited by a left quadricep strain, but in 2023, he got his first — and only — season with at least 100 major league games. In 385 plate appearances across 107 games, he batted a respectable .263 with 12 home runs and 36 RBI, but despite his promising numbers, the Royals traded Olivares to the Pittsburgh Pirates at the end of the 2023 season, ending the outfielder's time in Kansas City.

Over four seasons in the Royals organization, Olivares appeared in a total of 217 major league games, posting a combined .265/.315/.432 line with 23 home runs, 70 RBI, and 15 stolen bases. While he showed potential at the plate, his defense was below average, and the Royals' decision to trade him away was down to concern that he wouldn't be able to repeat the numbers he put up in 2023 — concern that turned out to be quite well-founded.

Last year with the Pirates, Olivares hit a disappointing .224 with 5 home runs and 23 RBI in 196 plate appearances before being designated for assignment on August 8. He cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple-A before electing free agency at the end of the season.

On December 6, 2024, the Mets announced on social media that they had signed Olivares to a minor league deal with an invite to spring training, and it seemed the 28-year-old had found a new organization with which to get a fresh start. However, the news that he's now close to joining the Orix Buffaloes implies he wasn't happy with his deal to join the Mets' system and may head to Japan instead — though that doesn't necessarily mean that this is the last MLB will see of Olivares.

It wouldn't be the first time a player has opted to try their luck in another league to reset their value in free agency, and perhaps next winter, Olivares will look to land a new major league deal, if he's had an impressive enough season abroad. Still, the Mets are yet to comment on the former Royals' discussions to abandon his contract before the ink is even dry, and all details are yet to be confirmed.