When Boston Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow was making additions to his roster this offseason, he made some big ones through trades. Breslow added three pitchers, two through trades and one through free agency.
Breslow signed Philadelphia Phillies left-hander Ranger Suárez in January. Earlier in the offseason, Breslow traded for Sonny Gray from the St. Louis Cardinals and Johan Oviedo from the Pittsburgh Pirates.
As it turns out, Gray is slotting in behind Garrett Crochet at the top of the rotation. As for Oviedo, he was brought in to battle for a backend of the rotation spot. In the end, his spring training struggles led to Connelly Early getting that spot. Oviedo’s struggles toward the end of spring training were red flags and a concern.
He started the year in the bullpen and got lit up in his only outing against the Houston Astros. After that outing, Oviedo felt some discomfort, and along with Boston’s medical staff, they are seeking an opinion from Dr. Keith Meister, who performed Oviedo’s Tommy John surgery three years ago for the ulnar collateral ligament. He was placed in the IL before Friday’s 5-2 win over the San Diego Padres. After the game, Oviedo spoke to the media and had a concerning take.
Boston Red Sox Pitcher Johan Oviedo Gives Concerning Take on Injury
After the Red Sox broke a five-game losing streak with a win over San Diego, Oviedo met with the media. He gave an update on how he felt after his outing in Houston on Tuesday night.
“When I woke up (Wednesday) morning, I couldn’t bend or flex my arm,” Oviedo said. “The range of motion is not there. A little bit of pain, but it feels locked.”
Well, that’s not good. That’s especially not good for someone who is not too far removed from surgery. As far as manager Alex Cora is concerned, this came out of nowhere. However, patience is going to be needed going forward.
“We just have to be patient with it and just wait for that (doctor feedback) to happen,” Cora said. “I believe they’re going to compare the MRIs [from now and the past] and see where we’re at and then go from there.”
Boston Red Sox Pitching Depth Being Put To the Test Early in 2026
Before the Padres game on Friday, Boston recalled Zack Kelly and Tyler Uberstine from the Worcester Red Sox when Oviedo went on the IL, and Garrett Whitlock was added to the paternity list. The Red Sox’s bullpen is going to be down a couple of arms for a bit.
Oviedo was acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates for a package that included prospect Jhostynxon Garcia. His struggles at the end of spring training should have been a sign that something was wrong. Cora defended him and said he was fine. It turns out, he wasn’t, and now they are in a wait-and-see period.
If Oviedo is lost for a long time and needs another surgery, Boston’s depth will be tested. You never want your pitching depth tested in the first week of the season, but that’s where the Red Sox and Cora are, just seven games into the season.
Boston Red Sox Pitcher Gives Concerning Update on Injury