Perrotto: Long Rehab Has Taught Lesson to Johan Oviedo
PITTSBURGH — Johan Oviedo has learned to be patient.
The Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander missed last season while recovering from Tommy John elbow surgery. Oviedo strained his right lat in spring training this year and has spent the season on the injured list.
Oviedo hasn’t pitched in a major-league game since Sept. 27, 2023. So, it’s been a long time.
“I’m a strong believer that everything in life happens for a reason,” Oviedo said. “Being patient has never been a strong side of me, so this whole time has been a test that maybe I’ve needed to go through so I can grow a little bit more as a person. The patience is definitely what I’ve had to use the most this whole time.
“I’m really glad with the results I’ve gotten out of it. I definitely feel more calm in a lot of situations, so I feel like during the game, it’ll help out more than it has in the past. Definitely looking forward to seeing what will come out of it.”
Something good happened to Oviedo on Monday. He joined the Pirates for a workout before they blanked the Detroit Tigers 3-0 at PNC Park in the opener of a three-game series.
Oviedo remained in Bradenton, Fla., and took part in extended spring training after the Pirates broke camp in late March. He made three rehab starts in Bradenton – one in the Florida Complex League and two for the Low-A Marauders – before joining Double-A Altoona last week.
With Altoona having an off day on Monday, Oviedo drove to Pittsburgh and admitted it felt good to be at PNC Park. He enjoyed spending some time with his teammates, if only for a few hours.
“Being on a big-league field and being around the big-league guys and coaching staff has been amazing,” Oviedo said. “I definitely feel like I missed it because I’ve been out of the game for such a long time. There’s nothing that compares to actually being on the playing field. Really excited and happy.”
Oviedo has pitched a total of 7.1 innings in his four rehab starts, allowing four runs on eight hits with 11 strikeouts and four walks. He made his first start for Altoona last Friday and threw 53 pitches over 3.1 innings.
It is difficult for Oviedo to evaluate himself in such a small sample size, but he remains optimistic.
“During the rehab process, there’s a lot of ups and downs,” Oviedo said. “I’ve just learned how to navigate the waves with how I feel and how things go in the games, to try to be patient and accept what the batters give me that day. Right now, I’m feeling in a really good spot and I’m really looking forward to coming back to the team.”
The Pirates do not have a timetable for Oviedo’s return yet and are also unsure how they will utilize him when he is activated from the injured list. Oviedo made 32 starts in 2023, which was his first full MLB season, but was likely to begin this season in the bullpen before being hurt because of the Pirates’ rotation depth.
However, manager Don Kelly said on Monday that the Pirates believe the 27-year-old’s long-term future is as a starter.
For now, Oviedo is just looking forward to getting back to the major leagues.
“Right now, my body feels amazing,” Oviedo said. “For me, it’s more about feel and confidence right now. The more reps, the more execution, and the more throws that I make. The more I’m around the actual games with real routines, every five days or every six days, to have a normal routine, show up to the field. Those have been the keys for me.
“The more I do that, the better I feel every time. I can see from my outings that the first one, compared to the last one, is way different, so I’m really happy and proud of it.”
While understanding he still needs to rely on his newfound patience.
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