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The Pittsburgh Pirates have pulled off a notable trade just days before the annual Winter Meetings are set to commence in Orlando, Fla.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Pittsburgh is sending right-handed pitcher Johan Oviedo to the Boston Red Sox for a package headlined by outfield prospect Jhostynxon Garcia, who is nicknamed “The Password”.
Left-handed pitcher Tyler Samaniego and catcher Adonys Guzman are also heading to Boston as part of the deal, while the Pirates will receive an additional player alongside Garcia.
Oviedo’s Pirates Tenure
Oviedo arrived in Pittsburgh alongside Malcom Núñez from the St. Louis Cardinals at the 2022 deadline in a trade that saw Jose Quintana and Chris Stratton go the other way.
The 27-year-old posted a 3.23 ERA in seven starts for the Pirates that same year before logging a 4.31 ERA in 32 outings and 177 2/3 innings during thr 2023 campaign.
Oviedo missed the entire 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, however, and a lat injury prevented him from making his return to the major leagues until August 4, 2025.
Across nine starts and 40 1/3 innings for the Pirates this past season, Oviedo put up a 3.57 ERA with 42 strikeouts and a 1.215 WHIP.
Garcia’s Profile
Garcia was a popular name at the deadline this summer while the Red Sox acted as buyers. He didn’t end up leaving the organization at that point in time, but he’s now on his way to Pittsburgh.
Ranked as the No. 85 prospect in all of baseball and the No. 3 farmhand in Boston’s system by MLB Pipeline, it’s fair to say that Garcia will have some pretty high expectations now that he’s a Pirate.
Garcia really set himself apart with a stellar 2024 campaign in the minors that saw him post a .892 OPS with 23 home runs, 66 RBIs and 17 stolen bases across three levels in 107 games.
In 2025, the 22-year-old finished with a .267/.340/.470 slash line in the minors while tacking on 21 homers and 75 RBIs.
Garcia made his big-league debut for the Red Sox on August 22 against the New York Yankees. He ended up playing in a total of five games and slashed .143/.333/.286 over nine trips to the plate.
He spent 83 games in center field as a minor leaguer in 2025 while appearing in 17 contests in right field.
Garcia should compete for a job during spring training, meaning he could crack the Pirates’ Opening Day roster.
