How Craig Breslow views new Red Sox pitcher Johan Oviedo

The Red Sox swung an fascinating commerce on Thursday after they acquired right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from the Pirates for outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia as part of a five-player deal.

As Garcia was one in all Boston’s top-rated prospects previous to the deal, giving him up for a pitcher and not using a sturdy report might need shocked some. However Crimson Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow believes that Oviedo is a pitcher on the rise, liking what he noticed out of the righty in 2025.

“We see Johan as a man who was starting to interrupt out final 12 months towards the tip of the season,” Breslow told MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “Distinctive fastball launch traits and added carry in his return from TJ (Tommy John). Has the flexibility to beat guys with the fastball which is a good place to begin when you consider a starter’s repertoire.

“Positive, he hasn’t but put all of it collectively within the type of a single dominant season, however that doesn’t imply he can’t or received’t. We’ve seen sufficient to acknowledge that he’s bought loads of uncooked stuff and at 27, there’s growth forward of him.”

Oviedo, like Breslow talked about, returned to motion in 2025 after lacking your entire 2024 season because of Tommy John surgical procedure. However he additionally missed the vast majority of the 2025 marketing campaign because of a lat damage he suffered in spring coaching.

When Oviedo ultimately made his means onto an enormous league mound in August 2025, he produced some high quality outcomes. He posted a 2-1 report with a 3.57 ERA, 1.215 WHIP, and 42 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings pitched over 9 begins.

Oviedo’s fastball additionally noticed some enchancment in his shorter stint final season. Opposing hitters logged only a .149 batting common in opposition to the pitch in 2025, whereas Oviedo’s fastball generated a 31.3 p.c whiff fee. That whiff fee would’ve ranked thirteenth amongst certified pitchers final season if Oviedo had pitched sufficient innings.

However Oviedo had some struggles along with his fastball in 2023. Opposing hitters put up a .275 batting common in opposition to the pitch, whereas Oviedo’s fastball generated simply an 18.5 p.c whiff fee. Oviedo’s fastball whiff fee was even worse than that within the three seasons previous to 2023 as properly. So, the Crimson Sox are actually betting on Oviedo’s nine-game pattern measurement in 2025 as proof that his fastball has improved.

Oviedo’s fastball had a median velocity of 95.5 mph in 2025, which was proper across the mark he had in 2023 (95.8 mph), per Baseball Savant.

Past his fastball, Oviedo has produced high quality outcomes along with his slider over his final couple of seasons. He bought opposing hitters to strike out in opposition to it 88 instances in 281 at-bats in 2023, producing a 32.7 p.c whiff fee along with his slider that season.

The commerce for Oviedo marked the Crimson Sox’ second notable addition to their beginning rotation this offseason, buying and selling for Sonny Gray in a cope with the Cardinals in November. The 2 offers have given Boston an abundance of beginning pitchers, with 13 gamers who profile as starters on its 40-man roster.

So, one may assume that the Crimson Sox is likely to be accomplished including to their rotation this offseason. However Breslow isn’t keen to make a dedication both means.

“Our priorities stay bettering our 2026 roster,” Breslow advised Cotillo when requested if the crew remains to be wanting so as to add one other beginning pitcher. “We now have to be open-minded concerning the methods we are able to do this, and sensible within the sense that we’ve got some place participant wants that we’ll wish to give attention to.”