PITTSBURGH — Johan Oviedo’s initial return to the Pittsburgh Pirates after Tommy John surgery and a lat injury lasted just one inning before he was sent back to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Oviedo made his first start back with the Pirates since the end of the 2023 season earlier this month in a game against the San Francisco Giants. He labored through 43 pitches and allowed a pair of runs before heading back to Indianapolis after the game.

But Oviedo returned to the mound at PNC Park on Wednesday afternoon and got his first win in nearly two years in the Pirates’ 2-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays.

“Yeah, I felt in control of myself and emotions, Oviedo said after his bounce-back start. “The game actually went the way we wanted.”

Oviedo held a potent Blue Jays offense to just one run on two hits across five innings pitched. He struck out six batters, walked one and hit one other with a pitch. It took him only 75 pitches to get through his outing.

“Just the way he attacked the zone with all of his pitches and he was able to mix it up and get ahead of guys,” Kelly said of Oviedo’s strong start. “There was one inning that was efficient and quick and kept his pitch count down and allowed him to be able to finish five innings.”

Though the end result was much different from his first start of the season, the beginning was eerily similar.

Oviedo battled with Blue Jays’ leadoff batter George Springer, who entered play with an impressive .289/.381/.506 batting line and 19 home runs. On Oviedo’s 10th pitch of the first at-bat of the game, Springer hit home run No. 20 down the left field line to put Toronto up early.

But Oviedo brushed off the home run and settled into a nice groove and retired 15 of the final 18 batters he faced.

“Just tried to keep myself positive. I’m not trying to let my emotions control me like what happened last time,” Oviedo said on brushing off the early blast. “Just reminded that this is the big leagues and you’re going to have challenges. But at the end of the day, you’re a competitor so just keeping getting ahead, keep throwing strikes and something good will happen.”

Oviedo’s performance on Wednesday offered a glimpse of the pitcher he was in 2023, his first year as a full-time starter in the big leagues. 

That season, the big right-hander made 32 starts and finished the year at 9-14 with a respectable 4.31 ERA. It was an up and down season at times for Oviedo, who allowed five or more runs in a game seven times but also finished tied for second in MLB with 15 starts of allowing one or zero runs.

His best display was in a game against the Royals on Aug. 28, when he threw a complete game two-hit shutout in Kansas City. By the end of the year, he was one of only two full-time starting pitchers in the rotation alongside Mitch Keller.

“It was good to see Oviedo come back and do what he did,” said Tommy Pham, whose two-run double was the difference in the win. “He’s gonna help us a lot. I think he’s a big part of this team’s future. Coming back from an injury is always tough, so what he did today and what he showed is just tremendous perseverance.”

Back fully injury from the arm injuries that kept him out of action for so long, the 27-year-old displayed what he’s capable of with a well-deserved win, his first since the end of the 2023 season.

“I know it’s been a long road for him to get back to doing that on a big-league mound,” said Kelly. “Just really happy for him and the success he had today.”