Getting a pitching surplus for your rotation is never a bad thing, but if the Boston Red Sox think they are keeping pace with the Toronto Blue Jays moves this winter, their latest deal leaves a little left to be desired. On Thursday evening (Dec. 4) the Red Sox picked up a pitcher who has been a serviceable starter in his five year career – but one has to think there is more than meets the eye with this latest trade.
The Red Sox picked up Johan Oviedo and two minor league players from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Jhostynxon Garcia and minor league pitcher Jesus Travieso. The deal comes a few days after the Blue Jays made the Dylan Cease signing official, and brought in Cody Ponce from the KBO.
Red Sox’s latest strike at Blue Jays in AL East pitching race is deeply confusing
Boston already added veteran Sonny Gray to their roster earlier this offseason, to slot in behind Cy Youn runner up Garrett Crochet as the Red Sox 1-2 punch at the top of the rotation. 26-year-old Brayan Bello is a great middle of the rotation arm, with the upside to be an ace, although that has yet to fully come together for him. Still, the Red Sox will take his 2.5 bWAR season where he had an ERA+ of 123 and be satisfied with that.
The rookie Connelly Early is also expected to make the team out of Spring Training. Early had a good late season debut, pitching to a 2.33 ERA in 19.1 innings over four starts. They’re also getting Patrick Sandoval back from injury. The Red Sox signed Sandoval during the 2024 offseason and spent all of 2025 recovering from UCL surgery. Although, it remains to be seen how effective Sandoval might be after he pitched to a 4.45 ERA with 109 walks in 224.1 innings pitched between 2023 and 2024 before the injury while with the LA Angels.
So where Oviedo fits in right now is anyone’s guess. He’s coming off Tommy John surgery and managed to get into nine games with the Pirates last season and threw 40.1 innings with 42 strikeouts, with an ERA+ of 121. If he can continue putting up those numbers, he’s a welcome addition to the team, but are the Red Sox betting that he’ll be better than any of the other five that are currently in the rotation?
The AL East has been one of the front runners keeping that hot stove cooking this winter. Between the Blue Jays moves, the Red Sox acquisitions and even Baltimore and Tampa Bay doing business, this looks like a division where multiple teams could be “going for it” in 2026. After this latest move by Boston many eyes will be on them to see if a secondary trade is made to off-load one of their pitchers.
