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Johan Oviedo. James A. Pittman-Imagn Images

Pirates, Red Sox both rolling the dice in Johan Oviedo trade

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Dec 5, 2025 8:50 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox have seemed like ideal trade partners for more than a year now. The Pirates have a surplus of arms and a major need for bats. The Red Sox have a surplus of bats and a need for arms.

The two teams came together on Thursday night and completed a five-player trade that is headlined by starting pitcher Johan Oviedo going from Pittsburgh to Boston, and prospect Jhostynxon Garcia going to the Pirates.

Pirates, Red Sox both taking some risk with this trade

It is a trade that definitely makes sense for both teams, but it is also not a slam dunk to work for either team.

From the Red Sox's perspective, Oviedo is an intriguing arm. He has tremendous stuff, great size and swing-and-miss ability. If everything clicks for him, he could be an outstanding middle-of-the-rotation starter and perhaps even as high as a No. 2 starter. The issues, however, are that for as good as his stuff can be, he has at times had major control issues and significant injury concerns. He has started just nine games since the start of the 2024 season.

The Red Sox are banking on him being healthy and that they can harness some of his control issues.

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. In total, it's a five-player trade.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 5, 2025

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.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 5, 2025

The Pirates, meanwhile, have to show that they can properly develop a talented hitter. Garcia was one of the Red Sox's top-prospects and a top-100 prospect on MLB Pipeline and brings big-time power potential to a lineup that desperately needs it. Outside of Konnor Griffin, the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, the Pirates have almost no serious position player prospects close to being Major League-ready. Griffin will be in Pittsburgh at some point during the 2026 season and Garcia could join him.

The Pirates have simply failed to develop prospects like this, and until they show they can, there has to be some skepticism with this.

It also can't be the only move the Pirates make this offseason.

Dealing from a position of strength (pitching) to help address their biggest weakness (bats) is a fine strategy. Even without Oviedo, they still have what should be an outstanding pitching staff led by Paul Skenes, Bubba Chandler, Mitch Keller (assuming he his not traded this winter) and the potential return of Jared Jones. The Pirates were one of the best pitching teams in baseball in 2025 while getting next to nothing from Oviedo.

The lack of hitting is what kept them out of the playoffs. They still need one or two more bats, and ideally bats who are proven at the major league level. This trade should be a start to the offseason. Not the main addition.

The Pirates have reportedly shown an interest to spend more money this season and have been connected to free-agent slugger Kyle Schwarber. It is one thing to be interested and involved. It is something else entirely to actually land the bat you want. The Pirates landed an intriguing wild card on Tuesday. Now they need to get more.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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