The Boston Red Sox entered this offseason with holes in their lineup and starting rotation. So far, they’ve decided to tackle the rotation first.
After trading for Sonny Gray last week, the Red Sox swung another trade for a starting pitcher this week, acquiring Johan Oviedo in a five-player deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
While Gray is a three-time All-Star and a proven commodity at age 36, Oviedo carries more risk and upside at age 27. He missed the entire 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery but pitched well after returning, going 2-1 with a 3.57 ERA along with the best WHIP (1.21) and strikeout rate (9.4 K/9) of his career.
Whereas Gray is one of the most consistent, durable and accurate pitchers in baseball, Oviedo is still searching for those qualities. He comes with two years of team control, however, and is more affordable.
While Oviedo may look like more of a depth option on paper, WEEI’s Rob Bradford writes that Boston has higher hopes for him, which explains why Craig Breslow was willing to part with one of the organization’s top prospects in Jhostynxon Garcia.
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“They believe Oviedo can be the kind of top-of-the-rotation pitcher that would cost a whole lot more than Garcia if already proven. It’s the same line of thinking that drove the Sonny Gray deal,” Bradford wrote on Friday. “But when it comes to this trade, make no bones about it: They view Oviedo as far from more than a depth option.”
Oviedo has shown flashes of that potential over his last three seasons and features elite stuff. If he can stay healthy and get his walk rate under control with the help of Andrew Bailey’s coaching staff, he could be poised for a breakout next year.
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The Red Sox have stockpiled an impressive amount of starting pitching depth, so it’s possible they may look to trade some of it for a bat this winter, especially if the prices for Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber and others become outrageous. Either way, look for Boston to pivot to offensive upgrades after beefing up its rotation with the Gray and Oviedo trades.
Featured image via Brian Fluharty/Imagn Images
