Oviedo recently returned from a pair of major injuries, but projects to be a part of the Red Sox’ starting rotation.
Johan Oviedo was acquired by the Red Sox on Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Freed)
December 5, 2025 | 3:35 PM
4 minutes to read
The Red Sox swung another trade for a pitcher on Thursday, but their latest addition to the pitching staff isn’t as much of a known quantity as the first pitcher they acquired this offseason.
Right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo, along with left-handed pitcher Tyler Samanieg and minor league catcher Adonys Guzman, were acquired from the Pirates by the Red Sox in a trade for one of Boston’s top hitting prospects (outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia) and minor league right-handed pitcher Jesus Travieso.
Oviedo, who turns 28 in March, was a part of the Pirates’ starting rotation last season and appears to be in line to get a similar role with the Red Sox this year. He’s also one of the largest pitchers in baseball, standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 275 pounds.
Beyond Oviedo’s size, here are five things to know about the newest Red Sox pitcher.
Oviedo recently returned from Tommy John surgery and a lat injury.
The Red Sox acquired Oviedo following an abbreviated 2025 season for the righty. He missed the entirety of the 2024 campaign due to Tommy John surgery, undergoing the operation in November 2023.
Oviedo was able to get back to work on the mound by the start of spring training in 2025. However, just a few weeks into camp, Oviedo suffered a lat injury that sidelined him again.
As a result of the lat injury, Oviedo didn’t make his season debut with the Pirates until early August. He made just nine starts in 2025 as well, posting a 2-1 record with a 3.57 ERA, 1.215 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts over 40 2/3 innings pitched.
One of those outings came against the Red Sox, giving up two runs on three hits, three walks, and three strikeouts in five innings pitched. Oviedo secured the win that day and had Roman Anthony’s number, striking him out three times.
He’s expected to be in the Red Sox’ starting rotation, and he could be a fixture there for the next couple of years.
Even though Oviedo has primarily been a starting pitcher over his last two seasons on the mound, some wondered what role he might play in Boston upon the news of Thursday’s trade. But the early expectation is that Oviedo will be a part of the Red Sox’ starting rotation when the 2026 season opens, WEEI’s Rob Bradford reported.
With Oviedo set to join the Red Sox’ rotation, he could be a fixture there for years to come. He still has two years left of team control, making him eligible for free agency after the 2027 season.
Oviedo initially began his career as a starting pitcher when he was with the Cardinals in 2020, but they moved him to the bullpen in 2022. When the Pirates acquired Oviedo in 2022, though, they made him a starting pitcher again.
Oviedo is 13-26 with a 4.39 ERA in 67 career starts. He had a 4.05 ERA over his 48 starts with the Pirates. In his lone full season on the mound in Pittsburgh, Oviedo went 9-14 with a 4.31 ERA in 177 2/3 innings pitched over 32 starts. That innings pitched mark would’ve ranked second on the Red Sox last season.
Oviedo has good strikeout potential, but has also had control issues.
As Oviedo has taken on a starting pitcher’s load, the results have been … inconsistent.
Oviedo has been able to post a strikeout rate at a relatively good percentage over his last few seasons. In his abbreviated 2025 season, Oviedo had a 24.7 percent strikeout rate, which would’ve ranked 26th among qualified starting pitchers last season. His 29.9 percent whiff rate would’ve ranked 13th among qualified pitchers, sitting right behind Pirates ace Paul Skenes.
But Oviedo’s solid strikeout potential comes with a number of walks and hit batters. This past season, Oviedo walked three hitters in seven of his nine starts. His 13.5 walk rate would’ve been the worst among qualified pitchers.
Going back to 2023, Oviedo’s 26 percent whiff rate ranked 47th among qualified pitchers that season. But he also had the eighth-worst walk rate (10.6) among qualified pitchers, and he led all National League pitchers in hit batsmen that year (13).
So, the Red Sox might be in for a bit of a bumpy ride with Oviedo this season unless they’re able to get his control issues, well, under control.
Oviedo has a five-pitch arsenal.
Oviedo has a pretty deep pitching arsenal, having a fastball, slider, curveball, sinker, and changeup at his disposal. Of those pitchers, Oviedo primarily uses his four-seamer and slider, which accounted for 69 percent of his pitches in 2025.
Oviedo’s fastball has had an average velocity of around 95.5 mph over his last two seasons, per Baseball Savant. Opposing hitters had some success against Oviedo’s fastball in 2023, logging a .275 batting average and 11 home runs in 258 at-bats that year. But Oviedo had some better success with his four-seamer in 2025, with opposing hitters logging just a .149 batting average against the pitch last season.
The slider is Oviedo’s best pitch. He got opposing hitters to strike out against it 88 times in 281 at-bats in 2023, generating a 32.7 percent whiff rate with his slider that season.
As for the other three pitches in Oviedo’s arsenal, his curveball has seen a bit more usage over the last couple of seasons than the rest of his secondary pitches. He’s thrown a curveball in roughly 15 percent of his pitches over his last two years, with opposing hitters logging a sub-.200 batting average against the pitch in each season. Oviedo had a 38.1 whiff rate with his curveball in 2025.
Oviedo’s a Cuban native, leaving his family at 18 to join the Cardinals.
Oviedo began his professional career when he signed with the Cardinals as an international free agent in July 2016, immediately joining the club’s Dominican Summer League team.
While the contract allowed Oviedo to move a step closer to making his big league dreams come true, he also had to say goodbye to his closest family members for a good bit of time. He didn’t see his mother, father, or sister for seven years after signing that contract with the Cardinals. He eventually reunited with his family members during Pirates spring training in 2023.
Oviedo lived in Jacksonville with his aunt during his first few years in the minors, eventually obtaining a green card in 2018. He made his MLB debut in 2020 before the Cardinals traded him in a deal for pitcher Jose Quintana in 2022.
It’s unclear if Oviedo will pitch for Cuba in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, which will take place in March.
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