Red Sox Skipper Hints Pirates Trade Piece Could Soon Become Star

What can we expect from Johan Oviedo this year?

Sep 23, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Johan Oviedo (24) walks off the field during a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Boston Red Sox rotation candidate Johan Oviedo has plenty to prove this year, but an incredibly high ceiling.

After arriving in a five-player trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates in November, Oviedo has been getting his spring going in Fort Myers, tossing a live batting practice session on Thursday. Manager Alex Cora came away from the session impressed with the 6-foot-6 righty's progress to this point.

"That was a good day for him. He threw strikes, made some good pitches," Cora said, via MLB.com. "We feel like mechanically, he's getting closer to what we're looking for."

If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.

What Red Sox see in Oviedo

Sep 28, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Johan Oviedo (24) pitches against the Atlanta Braves during the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images | Jordan Godfree-Imagn Images

Oviedo is one of five top candidates to win the No. 5 starter job -- perhaps even the leading candidate. He's not someone who's dominated big-league hitters in the past, but the Red Sox traded for him because they clearly saw reasons they thought he could improve.

“Just a big dude that we gotta get moving,” Cora said, per Christopher Smith of MassLive. “Not work faster as far as like tempo, but move faster. And I think we accomplished that today.”

Per Smith, the Red Sox are hoping to see Oviedo generate more force on his way down the mound. The skipper also invoked Oviedo's start against the Red Sox in August, which included a win, six strikeouts, and two earned runs across five innings.

“The extension,” Cora said, per Smith. “And that’s kind of key for him. We saw him last year, he did a good job against us, and that’s his uniqueness. If the velo goes up, great. But I think just maximize who you are and his extension is elite.”

We know this is an open rotation competition and not Oviedo's to lose. Patrick Sandoval and Kutter Crawford are in the mix as veterans, and rookie left-handers Payton Tolle and Connelly Early are probably ahead of Oviedo in terms of long-term investment from the ballclub.

But the Red Sox clearly believed Oviedo had something special to unlock, or they wouldn't have shipped top outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia to Pittsburgh. Now, it's just on the 27-year-old to listen to instructions and keep progressing.