PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Given the opportunity due to a right elbow injury to starting pitcher JT Brubaker, Johan Oviedo is taking advantage. Oviedo went nearly seven scoreless innings in a Bucs 1-0 win over the White Sox to take the series.
Originally slated to go to the minors to start the season, he got the chance to be the fifth starter when Brubaker realized the injury at the end of Spring Training. On Sunday, the 25-year-old went six and two-thirds innings allowing five hits with five strikeouts and no walks. He also threw 62 of his 89 pitches for strikes before the bullpen closed it out allowing only one hit.
“Gosh, he was outstanding,” said Pirates manager Derek Shelton. “He was in control the whole game. That’s a good team and he executed. Big sign of growth to be able to go out in the seventh and control himself emotionally and execute pitches. What did he give up, four or five hits? He was in control the whole game and did a really good job.”
“The players always like you when you give the team a chance to win,” Oviedo said. “Thankfully we pulled it out today. We got the win, won the series.”
Oviedo came over in the Jose Quintana/Chris Stratton trade with the Cardinals last year at the deadline. He would make seven starts, his best was also against Chicago, but the Cubs. September 24 of last year threw seven scoreless innings with three hits allowed, seven strikeouts and no walks. Overall as a Pirate in 2022, 2-2, 3.23 ERA with 28 strikeouts and 16 walks in 30.2 innings.
The La Habana, Cuba native, who gassed it up to 99mph late in the game, won’t be arbitration eligible until 2025 and won’t be a free agent until 2028.
“Extremely encouraging,” Shelton said.
“He built off inning two in Boston. Inning one was not a good inning and he built off that. He maintained throughout. The thing that stood out the most is when he was behind in counts was the ability to execute all pitches to get back into counts against a really good lineup.”
“His stuff was working,” former Pirates All-Star pitcher Matt Capps said on the 93.7 The Fan Pirates Post-Game Show Sunday. “I think the most impressive thing for me, he was throwing harder in the fifth and sixth innings than he was in the first. That’s great to see. That takes me back to old school Nolan Ryan, Roger Clemens, Verlander and Scherzer in today’s game. Those guys got stronger as the day goes on. That’s what I saw from Oviedo.”
There are several young Pirates right-handers making a push to be in the majors, Oviedo is jumping on his chance.