Boston Red Sox Acquire Pittsburgh Pirates Pitcher Johan Oviedo in 5-Player Deal.
The Boston Red Sox have continued their offseason spending spree with the acquisition of right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In exchange for outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia and Single-A pitcher Jesus Travieso, Oviedo was sent to Boston along with minor league players Tyler Samaniego and Adonys Guzman.
At 27 years old, Oviedo boasts an imposing presence on the mound at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 275 pounds. While his career has been marred by injuries, including a Tommy John surgery that wiped out the entire 2024 season, he showed flashes of potential last year. In nine starts, Oviedo sported a 3.57 ERA over 40.1 innings, striking out 42 batters.
Despite his intriguing arm talent, Oviedo's command has been an issue throughout his career. He led the league in hit batters in 2023 and walked 23 batters in his limited appearances last season. Boston pitching coach Andrew Bailey will undoubtedly look to work with Oviedo on his control issues.
Oviedo is not considered a solution to the Red Sox' need for a proven No. 2 starter, but rather a potential No. 4 or 5 option if they can harness his talent and keep him healthy. He faces stiff competition from current Boston rotation members Garrett Crochet and others for a spot in the starting five.
In contrast, outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia is a rising star who has gained significant attention this past summer, particularly after hitting .261 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI across Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. However, his chances to establish himself in Boston's crowded outfield were all but eliminated by the Red Sox' decision to include him in the trade.
The move marks an interesting addition to Boston's pitching depth, bringing a new dimension to their rotation with Oviedo's unique combination of size and swing-and-miss stuff.
The Boston Red Sox have continued their offseason spending spree with the acquisition of right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates. In exchange for outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia and Single-A pitcher Jesus Travieso, Oviedo was sent to Boston along with minor league players Tyler Samaniego and Adonys Guzman.
At 27 years old, Oviedo boasts an imposing presence on the mound at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 275 pounds. While his career has been marred by injuries, including a Tommy John surgery that wiped out the entire 2024 season, he showed flashes of potential last year. In nine starts, Oviedo sported a 3.57 ERA over 40.1 innings, striking out 42 batters.
Despite his intriguing arm talent, Oviedo's command has been an issue throughout his career. He led the league in hit batters in 2023 and walked 23 batters in his limited appearances last season. Boston pitching coach Andrew Bailey will undoubtedly look to work with Oviedo on his control issues.
Oviedo is not considered a solution to the Red Sox' need for a proven No. 2 starter, but rather a potential No. 4 or 5 option if they can harness his talent and keep him healthy. He faces stiff competition from current Boston rotation members Garrett Crochet and others for a spot in the starting five.
In contrast, outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia is a rising star who has gained significant attention this past summer, particularly after hitting .261 with 21 home runs and 75 RBI across Double-A Portland and Triple-A Worcester. However, his chances to establish himself in Boston's crowded outfield were all but eliminated by the Red Sox' decision to include him in the trade.
The move marks an interesting addition to Boston's pitching depth, bringing a new dimension to their rotation with Oviedo's unique combination of size and swing-and-miss stuff.
, another trade thread clogging up my feed... can't we have some actual discussion about the team's strategy or something? 
I mean, I get it, Oviedo's got potential, but is he really the answer to our starting pitching woes? 
5-player deal for a guy who's still rebuilding his control issues? 
And what's up with the prospect trade? Jhostynxon Garcia was on fire last summer... I guess you gotta give it to Boston, adding some depth to the rotation is always good 
. But can we please just have a civil conversation about baseball strategy instead of rehashing who got traded and why? 
! I'm hyped about Oviedo joining the Sox rotation. I know he's got some injury history, but the dude's got a killer fastball and we all love a good underdog story 
. The only thing that worries me is those control issues, gotta hope AB comes in and helps him wrangle it 
, he was looking like our future OF.
, but his control has always been a major concern 
. I mean, 23 walks in 40 innings is crazy 
... can the Red Sox really harness that talent and get him healthy? 
And what does this say about their rotation depth? Are they putting all their eggs in one basket with Garrett Crochet 
? I'm just not sure this trade makes sense 
He's got some serious arm talent but that command thing has been a major issue for him. I feel bad for the kid, he's only 27 and already had to deal with that Tommy John surgery 
. But if the Red Sox can get him to stay healthy and work on his control issues, maybe they'll find themselves a hidden gem 
. And honestly, it's not like they're breaking the bank or anything, just some young prospects and a few minor leaguers 
. So yeah, I'm kinda stoked about this one 
.
Oviedo is a wild card at best, he's got the talent but injury history is a major concern. Can they really harness that talent and keep him healthy? 
. He led the league in hit batters last year, that's just crazy talk! And let's be real, he's 27 and hasn't been able to stay on the mound all season... what makes anyone think this is going to change? 
. He needs help with his control before he can even think about being a reliable starter. Let's not get too excited here, folks 
. Maybe this trade is an opportunity for us to learn about resilience and trust in the process? 
. And $3 million for him? That's a lot of cash 
️... guess we'll just have to wait & see how it plays out 
. And it's cool to see them investing in pitching depth 
.