Who is Johan Oviedo? Get to know Red Sox’ latest trade acquisition originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The Boston Red Sox made another notable trade Thursday night, reportedly acquiring right-hander Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a five-player deal.
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According to multiple reports, the Red Sox shipped outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia and minor-league righty Jesus Travieso to Pittsburgh. Two minor leaguers — left-hander Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman — will head to Boston with Oviedo. Right-hander Cooper Criswell was designated for assignment to make room for Oviedo on the 40-man roster.
Oviedo, who’s under team control through 2027, posted a 3.57 ERA over nine starts (40.1 innings) with the Pirates last season. The 27-year-old missed most of the year after recovering from Tommy John surgery, which forced him to miss the entire 2024 campaign.
In 2023, his last full season in the majors, Oviedo amassed a 4.31 ERA and 1.37 WHIP with 158 strikeouts and 83 walks across 32 starts (177.2 innings). The 6-foot-6, 275-pounder was solid at the back end of the Pirates rotation and projects as a No. 4 or 5 starter on the Red Sox staff. If he can’t crack the rotation, he’d likely revert to the swingman role he had early in his career with Pittsburgh.
When he’s on, Oviedo’s stuff can be electric. He averaged 95.5 mph with his fastball in his return from Tommy John last season, and he continued to see success with his sharp slider and curveball. Where Oviedo struggles is with his command. He had an alarming 13.5 percent walk rate, and that wasn’t an outlier, as he has struggled in that category throughout his professional career.
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While the walks are concerning, Oviedo’s upside and the Red Sox’ need for pitching depth make him worth the price Boston paid in the deal. Garcia, nicknamed “The Password” (Red Sox’ No. 3 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), showed potential in the minors but didn’t have a path to consistent playing time in Boston’s crowded outfield. The soon-to-be 23-year-old went 1-for-7 with five strikeouts in nine games with the big-league club last season.
Travieso, the second prospect headed to Pittsburgh, signed with the Red Sox out of Venezuela in 2024. The 18-year-old appeared in seven games with Low-A Salem last season, posting an impressive 32 percent strikeout rate.
The other pitcher going to Boston, Samaniego, posted a 3.08 ERA across 26.1 innings in Double-A last season. The 27-year-old figures to spend most of 2026 at Triple-A Worcester but could play a role in Boston’s bullpen at some point during the campaign.
Guzman, 22, was selected by Pittsburgh in the fifth round of the 2025 MLB Draft. The Arizona product played only one game at Low-A but put up strong offensive numbers last season with the Wildcats.
The Red Sox’ trade for Oviedo marks their second deal for a starting pitcher in as many weeks. They recently acquired veteran right-hander Sonny Gray in a trade with the St. Louis Cardinals.
