Instant Impact Of Red Sox-Pirates Johan Oviedo Blockbuster Swap

The Winter Meetings haven't even begun and yet the Boston Red Sox have swung two separate deals that impact the starting rotation.

The first -- and biggest to this point -- was the acquisition of Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals. He's a three-time All-Star and a household name. Boston's second big trade of the offseason was for a second starting pitcher that fans may not know as much about. ESPN's Jeff Passan reported on Thursday night that the Red Sox are acquiring right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates in a five-player swap centered around former Boston No. 3 prospect Jhostynxon Garcia.

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"Trade news: The Boston Red Sox are acquiring right-hander Johan Oviedo in a deal that will send outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia back to Pittsburgh, sources tell ESPN," Passan wrote. "In total, it's a five-player trade.

The Red Sox made another move

"Two others moving in the Oviedo-for-Password deal, per sources: left-hander Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman are going to the Red Sox. The Pirates will get one player in addition to Jhostynxon Garcia."

This deal may come as a surprise to some, but it can have a big impact on the 2026 Red Sox.

Here's the instant impact of the Red Sox and Pirates swap:

Starting Rotation

Oviedo may not be the big-name target fans have been clamoring for, but there's an argument that Boston's rotation is set now. Oviedo is 27 years old and had a 3.57 ERA in a small nine-game sample size in 2025. He was coming off an injury, and yet he still thrived for Pittsburgh despite missing the entire 2024 season. He won't be a free agent until 2028. The Red Sox's rotation currently has Garrett Crochet, Gray, and Brayan Bello at the top of the rotation and could fill out the rest with Oviedo, Connelly Early, and Payton Tolle, among other options. If Oviedo ends up being Boston's No. 4, that is massive for the team.

Price Tag

This is the cost of starting pitching. Cutting ties with Jhostynxon Garcia is a big deal. He has significant upside and was the team's No. 3 prospect, but bringing a hurler who could slot into the rotation, catcher depth in Adonys Guzman, and a left-handed reliever with upside in Samaniego is a fair price.

Next Steps

If the Red Sox think they are set in the rotation and don't add another hurler, then there is a significant amount of money left over to spend on the middle of the order. If the Red Sox are willing to part with the team's No. 3 prospect, there's reason to believe they have high hopes for Oviedo. It's time to go get a big bat, and at this point go get two. Re-signing Alex Bregman and signing either Pete Alonso or Kyle Schwarber should be possible.

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