Johan Oviedo Makes Long-Awaited Return to Pirates; Shows Rust and Flashes in Lone Inning

Danny Demilio   |  

Aug 4, 2025

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PITTSBURGH — It had been a while since Johan Oviedo last suited up for the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

Tommy John surgery cost the big right-hander his entire 2024 season, and a lat strain suffered at spring training in March pushed his return back even further. 

After waiting for over 22 months, Oviedo returned to the mound at PNC Park on Saturday night against the San Francisco Giants. 

“Definitely happy to be back,” Oviedo said on his return.

Oviedo’s long-awaited return to the Pittsburgh Pirates didn’t go as he would have hoped. It took him 43 pitches to get through his one inning of work, and he allowed a pair of runs on two hits and walked two batters. 

“[Oviedo] is an intense person and got a little amped up there in the first,” manager Don Kelly said following the Pirates’ 5-4 walk-off win. “He started flying open and command wasn’t there, but really good to see him back on the mound healthy. Stuff up to 96 [mph], throwing the ball well and I think he just got a little over-amped and it was spraying on him a little bit.”

It came as no surprise to see Oviedo look rusty in his season debut. The 27-year-old totaled six rehab appearances across four different levels in the minor leagues, but getting back in a big-league game for the first time in nearly two years is a different animal.

Despite a spotty first showing, Oviedo still showed flashes of what made him an anchor in the Pirates’ rotation during the 2023 campaign.

Mixed between some traffic on the bases were three strikeouts. Oviedo struck out Giants cleanup hitter Matt Chapman on three pitches – all fastballs. He then recorded strikeouts of Jung Hoo Lee and Patrick Bailey for the final two outs to leave the bases loaded and keep the Pirates in a manageable deficit.

“Yeah, that’s part of how I feel. I feel amazing overall,” Oviedo said on his three strikeouts. “My body feels good. My last outings were really good. I feel command of my pitches, just my emotions didn’t let me execute the way I really wanted it.”

It turned out to be crucial in the end, as Pittsburgh didn’t have any runs to spare. The Pirates, who entered play with an 0-55 record when trailing after eight innings, played from behind the whole game until Joey Bart tied the game at 4-all in the bottom of the ninth and Isiah Kiner-Falefa delivered the walk-off win. 

“It was definitely exciting to be part of it,” Oviedo said of the Pirates’ win. “Thankfully, really grateful that my guys got my back.”

Though they will have to closely monitor his innings and workload, the Pirates will rely on Oviedo for the final eight weeks of the season. He was brought up to fill the void in the rotation left when left-hander Bailey Falter was dealt to the Kansas City Royals at the trade deadline.

Oviedo has shown he can be a valuable piece of a starting rotation. 2023 was his first season as a full-time starting pitcher, and he finished the year 9-4 with a respectable 4.31 ERA.

Although it wasn’t the exact script Oviedo would have written for his first start back, getting back to Pittsburgh is a personal triumph given the injuries he endured. Now that the emotions and jitters are out of the way, Oviedo will look to build off Monday’s start for his next turn in the rotation. 

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” he explained. “We’re excited about being back, but just trying to be balanced and definitely appreciate the whole work that we all do as a team.”