Boston Red Sox, Pittsburg Pirates finalize five player trade

According to MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, Pirates starter Johan Oviedo heads to Boston alongside lefty reliever Tyler Samaniego and minor league catcher Adonys Guzman. Pittsburgh gets rookie outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia and A-ball pitching prospect Jesus Travieso.

Oviedo and Garcia are the centerpieces of the deal on either side. The 27-year-old Oviedo is a 6'6″ right-hander who has been a capable back-end starter since the Pirates acquired him at the 2022 trade deadline.

He'd been a swingman with the Cardinals for his first couple seasons but has stepped into a full-time rotation role for the Bucs.

Oviedo took the ball 32 times and ranked second on the team with 177 2/3 innings in 2023. He posted a 4.31 earned run average with slightly worse than average strikeout and walk rates.

Garcia, 23 next week, should get everyday at-bats in Pittsburgh. He didn't have a clear path to playing time in a crowded Boston outfield but projects as the starting left fielder for the Pirates.

The right-handed hitter got a cup of coffee at Fenway Park last August, picking up a hit and two walks over nine plate appearances.

He otherwise divided the season between the top two levels of the minor leagues.

Known for his excellent nickname «The Password,» Garcia combined for 21 home runs with a robust .267/.340/.470 batting line across 489 plate appearances.

It's strong bottom line production for a 22-year-old, though the Sox might have had concerns about his approach.

The Venezuela native struck out at a 29.1% clip while chasing more than 35% of pitches outside the strike zone over his 81 Triple-A games. The pure hit tool is a red flag, but he has topped 20 homers in consecutive minor league seasons.