Craig Breslow swung another trade ahead of next week’s Winter Meetings, as the Red Sox acquired right-handed starter Johan Oviedo from the Pirates in a five-player trade.
The Red Sox dealt Top 100 prospect Jhostynxon “The Password” Garcia and RHP Jesus Travieso for Oviedo, C Adonys Guzman and LHP Tyler Samaniego. After acquiring veteran starter Sonny Gray last month, it’s a move that gives Boston additional rotation depth.
So what do the experts think of the trade? Here’s what they’re saying:
Sean McAdam: “If the Red Sox were looking for someone to slot in between ace Garrett Crochet and Gray, Oviedo isn’t it, though it’s conceivable he could soon grow into that sort of role.
“The deal does, however, give the Red Sox a surplus of starters and could free them to move one of their young arms to address another roster need. The Sox are still in desperate need of at least one if not two power bats in the lineup and the abundance of starting pitching candidates could allow the Sox to bypass — for one move, at least — the expensive free agent market.”
Keith Law: “Oviedo is a one-trick pony, with an above-average slider that’s pretty short — almost cutter-like at the upper end of its velocity range — and he doesn’t have a decent pitch for left-handed batters. He allowed 19 homers in 2023, and 14 of them came from lefties. Maybe Boston thinks it can add a pitch or improve the fastball, but I don’t see more than a fifth starter here even if he’s healthy. He did have better results on the four-seamer in 2025 after his return, in a tiny sample, improving his induced vertical break so the pitch’s movement went from well below average to average, if you’re looking for a reason to be optimistic that he’s better than his pre-surgery track record indicates.”
Colin Beazley: “While Oviedo was projected as a key part of the Pirates rotation in 2026 and has room for growth, the Pirates had pitching depth to trade from and needed bats. Garcia is viewed as a strong hitter, and while unproven, he has six seasons of control. Trading for any prospect is a gamble, but Garcia is seen as major league ready.”
Mark Chiarelli & Geoff Pontes: “It’s a trade that makes sense for both sides. The Pirates are well-stocked with pitching depth and in need of reinforcements for their big league lineup, especially in the outfield. There wasn’t a clear path to outfield playing time in Boston for Garcia, who ranked sixth in the Red Sox system entering 2026. This is also not the first time the clubs have dealt from areas of depth; the Pirates acquired Nick Yorke from Boston for Quinn Priester in 2024.”
Ian Browne: “Prior to tearing his UCL, Oviedo took on a full starter’s load in ‘23, taking the ball 32 times and logging 177 2/3 innings in which he issued 85 walks, hit 13 batters and struck out 158.Obviously, pounding the strike zone is something the 27-year-old needs to do more consistently. Oviedo clearly fits the profile of the type of big, physical pitchers Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow had tried to stack his organization with over the last couple of years.”