KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- As Derek Shelton and Oscar Marin were talking in Kauffman Stadium's visitor's dugout after the eighth inning, the manager's assumption was Johan Oviedo's evening was done. He had just tossed eight scoreless frames, and with 97 pitches already logged, it looked like the right-hander's career-best performance was coming to a close.
But as they talked, Shelton kept hearing a voice. It was catcher Endy Rodríguez, who was standing behind him and imploring his manager to not go to to the bullpen.
"Let's go," he told Shelton, per the manager's retelling. "He's fine. Let's go."
In the dugout, Oviedo wasn't talking to anyone, as he focused on the game ahead.
"I was trying to not think about anything," Oviedo said. "Every time I had a negative or excited moment in my mind, I would just try to shake my head and keep pitching."
Had it not been for his battery mate's instance, Oviedo surely would have been taken out of the game.
"I want my guy there," Rodríguez said postgame on why he lobbied his manager. "I [felt] him the whole game. I know he's got it."
The young catcher was feeling it. Eventually, so did the manager, who changed his mind. They were going to go hitter by hitter, but it was Oviedo's game.
Three batters later, Salvador Perez bounced a ball to Ke'Bryan Hayes, who fired a strike across the diamond to complete the 112-pitch shutout, clinching the Pirates' 5-0 win over the Royals Monday.
And as Rodríguez ran towards the pitcher's mound with the final out ball stuffed in his back pocket, Oviedo put the cherry on top of his masterpiece, picking his catcher up in a big bear hug.
"It was great for both of us," Oviedo said. "It’s a moment that I can’t describe."
"That was incredible," a beaming Rodríguez said.
In a year of plenty of ups and downs, what a moment that was, a perfect capper to a two-hit gem. Oviedo and Rodríguez haven't had many in-game reps since the latter was promoted to the majors, but that hug was a sign of things potentially to come. That in a year where Ben Cherington sees the progress the Pirates have made made, even if it's not enough, these two young players that are part of that core moving forward can share the first of what the Pirates hope to be many bear hugs.
And it may not be the last time Rodríguez sticks his neck out for his starter to go deeper into a game if they have a gem going.
"I didn’t know they actually had a conversation about it," Oviedo revealed postgame. "I’m really, really happy with their decision. I trust both of them."
Strictly metrically speaking, Oviedo has had games where his fastball has come out of his hand harder and his breaking ball moved more. The fastball in particular has been a bit hit and miss with its velocity of late as Oviedo finally set a new career high for professional innings pitched in a season. It's one of the things that's going to monitored as the Pirates very thoroughly keep track of his workload through the rest of the season.
But on the other side of those best intentions and tunnel vision of keeping that right arm in top shape for 2024 comes the romanticism of the sport. When a pitcher is pitching the game of his life, only allows four base runners and makes sure not a single Royal advances beyonds first base, romanticism wins.
"That goes into play," Shelton said. "And the fact that he was efficient."
Leaning heavily into his four-seam fastball and slider combo, Oviedo got plenty of quick outs on the ground, needing to rely on his fielders since he struck out only five. It worked, and Oviedo never had that pitfall inning that has spoiled several outings for him this season. Shelton pointed out that not having to pitch out of a bases loaded jam, for example, made his innings less stressful on his arm. In turn, Oviedo never got out of attack mode, and with his offense spotting him five runs -- thanks in part to a four-hit night by Hayes -- he had little reason to adjust to a potential Royals comeback.
"Trying to get ahead and not strike everyone out," Oviedo said. "Get quick outs. I know they swing a lot. Just trying to execute my pitches."
Oviedo has had several outings this year where he's shown that immense talent in his right arm. Monday was arguably the best out those performances.
"I know he can control the game," Rodríguez said. "Let him pitch."
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